The Lost Identity
by SarcasticSeaSass
Summary: "A letter. The reason I didn't know who I was anymore. But who was I to judge? Poseidon never claimed me. Though I had control over the sea. So where did that leave me? Nowhere. Exactly." People change for two reasons. Either they've learned a lot or they've been hurt too much. In Cora Jackson's case, it was both. Originally titled The Life of the Seas Daughter.
1. Fairy Feet

**Chapter 1: Fairy Feet**

"Class, today we have a new student. Please welcome her and try not to..alienate her too much. ",our Latin teacher droned. I almost snorted. That was an understatement. I know this is a military school, but the decorations seem a bit _too_ overkill. I glanced from her to the clock and realized that there was still ten minutes left for classes to end. Hey, don't get me wrong I love reading and of course Latin, but today I was going to meet my mother and brother(that rhymed) after an year. I also had ADHD. This was the longest I had lasted in a school. This was my 8th or 9th school to begin with and I'm 10 years old! I blew up a bus, destroyed a dinosaur fossil exhibit, let a killer whale out of its aquarium, turned my ex- principals hair blue etc and I don't even know how. Actually I do.

Back to my family. Mum was the best mother in the world. She was the sweetest, kindest person in my life and let me tell you there weren't a lot of those kind . She made the best blue cookies, blueberry muffins too, and worked at a candy store. The blue food I can explain. She, like both me and Percy, had a rebellious streak which led her to prove Smelly Gabe wrong when he said food couldn't be blue.

Since that day mum has made blue food on almost every occasion. Gabrielle, what a girly name, was our stinky, filthy step father. He got drunk all the time and, I suspect, he used to hit mum. The thought of him trying to pull off something like that made me want to growl and spit on his face. That was unlady like you may say but do I sound like I care ? After remembering what happened to that old sot, I almost grinned with contempt but stopped in the nick of time.

_Now, now, wouldn't want to be expelled for doing something like_ smiling_ would you, Corinne? _I shook my head slightly to get rid of the voice.

And of course there was Percy . He was 4 years older than me yet I can't fathom why he's so clueless. He wasn't a vivacious reader due to dyslexia and maybe not the smartest but he was a caring older brother . He might make fun of me most of the times but, hey, what are brothers for? Though he was very much goofy, he was always that annoying, nagging voice in the back of your mind saying "do the right thing" when you're trying to pull off something extremely dangerous even though he might be attempting to do the very same thing.

The door creaked open and a girl came in. She had slightly wavy, brownish auburn hair that went just below her shoulders and a smile as goofy as Percy's ( and mine but if you said that , there's a 99% chance I'd deny it). I didn't even know that was possible until now. Her eyes were what stood out the most. They were a sort of silver yellow like the moon with flecks of gold. She looked a lot like a guy in mum's picture album. That was weird. Even to me. But who was I to judge. I had freaky eyes too.

"HI!" She said, or rather screamed, right in front of my face. I almost fell off my chair.

"Personal space, please" I said in an unusually high pitched tone. I cleared my throat and repeated that in a less girly voice. She snickered slightly.

"The teacher told me to sit with you but I think you were zoning out. ANYWAYS, I am Mackenzie. No last name, though. But you can call me Mac."

"Alright Mac. But the bell already rang."

With that I dragged her out of class to my dorm room and explained her how this school works. She put up a hand signaling me to stop and said,

"First say hi to my Fairy Feet." I stared at her.

"What?"

"My feet." I looked at her feet and saw her blue and silver shoes..with wings. They looked like suspiciously Hermes' shoes... Only slightly like the one's Luke gave to Percy.

"No." We argued back and forth until she, out of the blue, said,

"I don't know your name yet."

"Corinne Jackson . But call me Cora or else..."

I like my brother didn't like to be called my weird name. It originates from the Greek word kore .I used to think he was an obsessed Greek Mythology nerd until I found out he was Poseidon. Yes, my fathers a Greek God. Hurray. Note the sarcasm. Though I've only seen him a few times he hasn't acknowledged me. Ever. I guess I should despise him but a little voice in my head told me not to.

"LOL . I know how you feel. I was named after a river. And you a maiden." I looked at her curiously. She knew Greek? Usually people didn't notice because Corinne wasn't a very unusual name? Was she a demigod, too ?

"Yes times two, I do and I am. Geez, do you always say that to people you just met? That would be embarrassing. Hi, I'm a demigod, are you one too?" I looked up sheepishly and rubbed my neck in an embarrassed manner.

"No, just distracted...I'm gonna meet my brother and mother today so..."

"Percy, right ? That guy, dang, he can anger the gods . My mum almost slapped him in my dream." I just couldn't help but notice that she had a slight British accent like me but more pronounced. I also understood the dreams part. They were a huge pain I tell you. But they saved lives too.

"Who's your mum?" Her eyes darkened like the shadowed half of the Moon. Yet she told me anyways,

"Artemis."

I barely had time to react when a head with a ratty Rasta cap peeked in from behind the door.

"Did someone say Artemis?" I perked up and I bet I had a very goofy grin when I ran forward to give him a bear hug which he gladly returned. Mac grinned and hugged us from behind.

"I don't know who you are satyr but I LIKE BEAR HUGS!" She practically screamed in our ears.

"H-how do you know I'm a s-satyr?" Grover stuttered.

"As a daughter of Artemis she must know a lot about nature." I clarified and looked at her to say for certain. She just nodded enthusiastically. Grover's eyes looked like they could pop out of his eye sockets but he didn't say anything. We walked out of the dorm room.

"Hey, how come I haven't seen you at camp?" I asked. I knew almost every camper and being a daughter of Artemis should make you more noticeable. I know when my brother was claimed, somehow I became the center of attention. I hated it.

She said, "I just found out a week ago so grandmother sent me here. She knew some satyr was here." I thought she was lying partially but I decided to let it be. I could be wrong.

"Say, are those a pair of Hermes' shoes?" Grover asked with a horrified face. Almost being dragged into Tartarus by a pair, did not help improve the impression the shoes made on him. I bit my lip from trying to hold in laughter. I failed.

Mac, oblivious to Grover's tone and expression, did a little dance like the Mad Hatter in a movie... I can't remember the name of it... Aha! Alice in Wonderland, and said proudly in a false posh British accent, "Yes. Yes they are. Ya see, dear old Hermes, oh bless his soul, gave me these babies after a few master pranks I pulled in his honor on some unsuspecting citizens. Though of course I had to pay for them."

"You dance like the Mad Hatter!" Grover and I blurted at the same time. We burst into fits of laughter. Mackenzie was rolling on the floor laughing ( ROFL ) while a girl who Grover suspected was a demigod, Bianca Di Angelo I'm guessing, looked like she wanted to help us or maybe send us to the mental asylum. Grover was clutching his stomach, laughing like the goat he is, and crying silent tears. I was shaking with silent laughter, my voice, suddenly lost.

Grover wiped a tear as I cleared my throat and asked, "You remember the Dance, Cora ?"

"Yeah..."

"It's today and you have to come... Percy, Thalia and Annabeth are gonna be there ."

Mac and I exchanged horrified looks and yelled, " WHAT?"

I think Mackenzie Whose-Last-Name-Is-Unknown and I are gonna get along quite well .

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**A/N: Hey! This is my first fanfic and I hope this idea turns out to be good. Mackenzie is a character that actually belongs to my close friend, LifeGaza. Go check out her fan-fictions, they're all one-shots. Please tell me how this is by pressing that wonderful review button *Cue adorable sea green baby seal eyes*. Until next time, my fellow readers!**


	2. The Boy with the Voodoo Doll

**A/N: Hello my readers or as I like to call y'all, minions! I'm so sorry I haven't updated sooner. I was out of station for more than a week. I decided to do this chapter in Percy's POV. Inform me if there are any errors and I'll edit the chapter. Hope you like it! I also forgot the disclaimer in the last chappy and I will only say this once!**

**Cora: I was created by the author. Rick Riordon owns Persissy. *Snickering***

**Percy: Don't call me that!**

**Me: Yeah, yeah shut it Percy.**

**Percy: No. Whatcha gonna do about it?**

**Me: Send Annabeth after you. *Silence* Much better.**

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**Replies to Reviews:**

**LifeGaza: Love ya too. Thanks for the review and of course I'd mention your craziness and fairy feet! ;-D**

**Fairy Feet: Yes, I know who you are but I would appreciate it if you used your account to review. Thanks and I'll try! :-)**

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**Chapter 2: The Boy with the Voodoo Doll**

I was excited to meet my little sister, Cora. The Friday before winter break, my mom packed me an overnight bag and a few deadly weapons and took me to Cora's new boarding school. We picked up my friends Annabeth and Thalia on the way. It was an eight-hour drive from New York to Bar Harbor, Maine. Sleet and snow pounded the highway. Annabeth, Thalia, and I hadn't seen each other in months, but between the blizzard and the thought of what we were about to do, we were too nervous to talk much.

Except for my mom. She talks more when she's nervous. By the time we finally got to Westover Hall, it was getting dark, and she'd told Annabeth and Thalia every embarrassing baby story there was to tell about me.

It was unfair how she only told mine and not Cora's embarrassing stories like the time when she carried a baby seal home with her when she was four years old, almost crying a river because it was feeling 'lonely' and she just wanted it to have a family. How and where she found it, I had no idea. My eight year old self thought she was insulting me and I told her that she would make an awesome seal. She didn't understand me because, come on, a four year old that knows sarcasm? Turns out four year olds had their own way of sass. She gave it to me gently and I panicked.

The seal's eyes looked like her eyes for a minute. So I handed it back to her and she threw it at Gabe's face thinking we were playing catch. Surprisingly the seal didn't get all panicky and calmly scratched his face and waddled over to the open door. After the seal left the stupid fatso almost beat up Cora but mom intervened. It was the funniest _and_ scariest day of my life.

Thalia wiped the fog off the car window and peered outside. "Oh, yeah. This'll be fun." Westover Hall looked like an evil knight's castle. It was all black stone, with towers and slit windows and a big set of wooden double doors. It stood on a snowy cliff overlooking this big frosty forest on one side and the gray churning ocean on the other. I now felt sorry for Cora.

"Are you sure you don't want me to wait?" my mother asked.

"No, thanks, Mom," I said."I don't know how long it will take. We'll be okay."

"But how will you get back? I'm worried, Percy." I hoped I wasn't blushing. It was bad enough I had to depend on my mom to drive me to my battles.

"It's okay, Ms. Jackson." Annabeth smiled reassuringly. Her blond hair was tucked into a ski cap and her gray eyes were the same color as the ocean. "We'll keep him out of trouble."

My mom seemed to relax a little. She thinks Annabeth is the most levelheaded demigod ever to hit eighth grade. She's sure Annabeth often keeps me from getting killed. She's right, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

"All right, dears," my mom said. "Do you have everything you need?"

"Yes, Ms. Jackson," Thalia said. "Thanks for the ride."

"Extra sweaters? You have my cell phone number?"

"Mom—"

"The bag for Cora? Your ambrosia and nectar, Percy? And a golden drachma in case you need to contact camp?"

"Mom, seriously! We'll be fine. Come on, guys." She looked a little hurt, and I was sorry about that, but I was ready to be out of that car. If my mom told one more story about how cute I looked in the bathtub when I was three years old, I was going to burrow into the snow and freeze myself to death. But if Cora found out I made mom feel upset she'd kill me anyways.

Annabeth and Thalia followed me outside. The wind blew straight through my coat like ice daggers. Once my mother's car was out of sight, Thalia said, "Your mom is so cool, Percy."

"She's pretty okay," I admitted. "What about you? You ever get in touch with your mom?" As soon as I said it, I wished I hadn't. Thalia was great at giving evil looks, what with the punk clothes she always wears—the ripped-up army jacket, black leather pants and chain jewelry, the black eyeliner and those intense blue eyes. But the look she gave me now was a perfect evil 'ten.'

"If that was any of your business, Percy—"

"We'd better get inside," Annabeth interrupted. "Grover will be waiting."

Thalia looked at the castle and shivered. "You're right. I wonder what he found here that made him send the distress call."

I stared up at the dark towers of Westover Hall. "Nothing good," I guessed worriedly. The oak doors groaned open, and the three of us stepped into the entry hall in a swirl of snow.

All I could say was, "Whoa."

The place was huge. The walls were lined with battle flags and weapon displays: antique rifles, battle axes, and a bunch of other stuff. I mean, I knew Westover was a military school and all, but the decorations seemed like overkill. Literally.

My hand went to my pocket, where I kept my lethal ballpoint pen, Riptide. I could already sense something wrong in this place. Something dangerous. Thalia was rubbing her silver bracelet, her favorite magic item. I knew we were thinking the same thing. A fight was coming.

Annabeth started to say, "I wonder where—"

The doors slammed shut behind us.

"Oo-kay," I mumbled. "Guess we'll stay awhile."

I could hear music echoing from the other end of the hall. It sounded like dance music. We stashed our overnight bags behind a pillar and started down the hall. We hadn't gone very far when I heard footsteps on the stone floor, and a man and woman marched out of the shadows to intercept us. They both had short gray hair and black military-style uniforms with red trim. The woman had a wispy mustache, and the guy was clean-shaven, which seemed kind of backward to me. They both walked stiffly, like they had broomsticks taped to their spines.

"Well?" the woman demanded. "What are you doing here?"

"Um…" I realized I hadn't planned for this. I'd been so focused on getting to Grover and Cora and finding out what was wrong, I hadn't considered that someone might question three kids sneaking into the school at night. We hadn't talked at all in the car about how we would get inside.

I said, "Ma'am, we're just—"

"Ha!" the man snapped, which made me jump. "Visitors are not allowed at the dance! You shall be eee-jected!" He had an accent—French, maybe. He pronounced his J like in Jacques, He was tall, with a hawkish face. His nostrils flared when he spoke, which made it really hard not to stare up his nose, and his eyes were two different colors—one brown, one blue—like an alley cat's.

I figured he was about to toss us into the snow, but then Thalia stepped forward and did something very weird. She snapped her fingers. The sound was sharp and loud. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I felt a gust of wind ripple out from her hand, across the room. It washed over all of us, making the banners rustle on the walls.

"Oh, but we're not visitors, sir," Thalia said. "We go to school here. You remember: I'm Thalia. And this is Annabeth and Percy. We're in the eighth grade." The male teacher narrowed his two-colored eyes. I didn't know what Thalia was thinking. Now we'd probably get punished for lying and thrown into the snow.

But the man seemed to be hesitating. He looked at his colleague.

"Ms. Gottschalk, do you know these students?"

Despite the danger we were in, I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing. A teacher named Got Chalk? He had to be kidding. The woman blinked, like someone had just woken her up from a trance.

"I… yes. I believe I do, sir." She frowned at us. "Annabeth. Thalia. Percy. What are you doing away from the gymnasium?"

Before we could answer, I heard more footsteps, and Grover ran up, breathless.

"You made it! You—"

He stopped short when he saw the teachers.

"Oh, Mrs. Gottschalk. Dr. Thorn! I, uh—"

"What is it, Mr. Underwood?" said the man. His tone made it clear that he detested Grover. "What do you mean, they made it? These students live here." Grover swallowed.

"Yes, sir. Of course, Dr. Thorn. I just meant, I'm so glad they made… the punch for the dance! The punch is great. And they made it!" Dr. Thorn glared at us. I decided one of his eyes had to be fake. The brown one? The blue one?

He looked like he wanted to pitch us off the castle's highest tower, but then Mrs. Gottschalk said dreamily, "Yes, the punch is excellent. Now run along, all of you. You are not to leave the gymnasium again!"

We didn't wait to be told twice. We left with a lot of "Yes, ma'ams" and "Yes, sirs" and a couple of salutes, just because it seemed like the thing to do. Grover hustled us down the hall in the direction of the music.

I could feel the teachers' eyes on my back, but I walked closely to Thalia and asked in a low voice, "How did you do that finger-snap thing?"

"You mean the Mist? Hasn't Chiron shown you how to do that yet?" An uncomfortable lump formed in my throat.

Chiron was our head trainer at camp, but he'd never shown me anything like that. Why had he shown Thalia and not me? Grover hurried us to a door that had GYM written on the glass. Even with my dyslexia, I could read that much.

"That was close!" Grover said. "Thank the gods you got here!"

Annabeth and Thalia both hugged Grover. I gave him a big high five. It was good to see him after so many months. He'd gotten a little taller and had sprouted a few more whiskers, but otherwise he looked like he always did when he passed for human— a red cap on his curly brown hair to hide his goat horns, baggy jeans and sneakers with fake feet to hide his furry legs and hooves. He was wearing a black T-shirt that took me a few seconds to read. It said WESTOVER HALL: GRUNT. I wasn't sure whether that was, like, Grover's rank or maybe just the school motto.

"So what's the emergency?" I asked.

Grover took a deep breath. "I found two."

"Two half-bloods?" Thalia asked, amazed. "Here?"

Grover nodded. Finding one half-blood was rare enough. This year, Chiron had put the satyrs on emergency overtime and sent them all over the country, scouring schools from fourth grade through high school for possible recruits. These were desperate times. We were losing campers. We needed all the new fighters we could find. The problem was, there just weren't that many demigods out there.

"A brother and a sister," he said. "They're ten and twelve. I don't know their parentage, but they're strong. We're running out of time, though. I need help...and -"

"Monsters?" Thalia interrupted.

"One." Grover looked nervous. "He suspects. I don't think he's positive yet, but this is the last day of term. I'm sure he won't let them leave campus without finding out. It may be our last chance! Every time I try to get close to them, he's always there, blocking me. I don't know what to do!"

Grover looked at Thalia desperately. I tried not to feel upset by that. Used to be, Grover looked to me for answers, but Thalia had seniority. Not just because her dad was Zeus. Thalia had more experience than any of us with fending off monsters in the real world.

"Right," she said. "These half-bloods are at the dance?" Grover nodded.

"Then let's dance," Thalia said. "Who's the monster?"

"Oh," Grover said, and looked around nervously. "You just met him. The vice principal, Dr. Thorn."

Weird thing about military schools: the kids go absolutely nuts when there's a special event and they get to be out of uniform. I guess it's because everything's so strict the rest of the time, they feel like they've got to overcompensate or something. There were black and red balloons all over the gym floor, and guys were kicking them in each others faces, or trying to strangle each other with the crepe-paper streamers taped to the walls. Girls moved around in football huddles, the way they always do, wearing lots of makeup and spaghetti-strap tops and brightly colored pants and shoes that looked like torture devices.

Every once in a while they'd surround some poor guy like a pack of piranhas, shrieking and giggling, and when they finally moved on, the guy would have ribbons in his hair and a bunch of lipstick graffiti all over his face. Some of the older guys looked more like me—uncomfortable, hanging out at the edges of the gym and trying to hide, like any minute they might have to fight for their lives. Of course, in my case, it was true… I looked around for a average height, 10 year old girl with a messy, raven and wavy ponytail but couldn't spot her. Where was she?

"There they are." Grover nodded toward a couple of younger kids arguing in the bleachers. "Bianca and Nico di Angelo" The girl wore a floppy green cap, like she was trying to hide her face. The boy was obviously her little brother. They both had dark silky hair and olive skin, and they used their hands a lot as they talked. The boy was shuffling some kind of trading cards nervously. His sister seemed to be scolding him about something. Finally I spotted Cora next to them. She was scowling slightly at the boy.

Unlike the other girls she was wearing her signature winter clothing: a blue hoodie and a pair of jeans. I smiled warmly and shook my head; she'll never change. She insists on wearing a hoodie and not a coat or something because it made fighting monsters harder. Her words not mine. She kept looking around like she sensed something was wrong. Then she spotted us and her lips turned upwards.

Annabeth said, "Do they… I mean, have you told them?" Grover shook his head.

"You know how it is. That could put them in more danger. Once they realize who they are, their scent becomes stronger." He looked at me, and I nodded. I'd never really understood what half-bloods 'smell' like to monsters and satyrs, but I knew that your scent could get you killed. And the more powerful a demigod you became, the more you smelled like a monster's lunch.

"So let's grab them and get out of here," I said. I started forward, but Thalia put her hand on my shoulder. The vice principal, Dr. Thorn, had slipped out of a doorway near the bleachers and was standing near the Di Angelo siblings. He nodded coldly in our direction. His blue eye seemed to glow. Judging from his expression, I guessed Thorn hadn't been fooled by Thalia's trick with the Mist after all. He suspected who we were. He was just waiting to see why we were here.

"Don't look at the kids," Thalia ordered. "We have to wait for a chance to get them. We need to pretend we're not interested in them. Throw him off the scent."

"How?"

"We're three powerful half-bloods. And Cora's here. Our presence should confuse him. Mingle. Act natural. Do some dancing. But keep an eye on those kids."

"Dancing?" Annabeth asked.

Thalia nodded.

She cocked her ear to the music and made a face. "Ugh. Who chose the Jesse McCartney?"

Grover looked hurt.

"I did."

"Oh my gods, Grover. That is so lame. Can't you play, like, Green Day or something?"

"Green who?

" "Never mind. Let's dance."

"But I can't dance!"

"You can if I'm leading," Thalia said. "Come on, goat boy."

Grover yelped as Thalia grabbed his hand and led him onto the dance floor. Annabeth smiled.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing. It's just cool to have Thalia back." Annabeth had grown taller than me since last summer, which I found kind of disturbing. She used to wear no jewelry except for her Camp Half-Blood bead necklace, but now she wore little silver earrings shaped like owls—the symbol of her mother, Athena. She pulled off her ski cap, and her long blond hair tumbled down her shoulders. It made her look older, for some reason.

"So…" I tried to think of something to say. Act natural, Thalia had told us. When you're a half-blood on a dangerous mission, what the heck is natural?

"Um, design any good buildings lately?"

Annabeth's eyes lit up, the way they always did when she talked about architecture.

"Oh my gods, Percy. At my new school, I get to take 3-D design as an elective, and there's this cool computer program…" She went on to explain how she'd designed this huge monument that she wanted to build at Ground Zero in Manhattan. She talked about structural supports and facades and stuff, and I tried to listen. I knew she wanted to be a super architect when she grew up—she loves math and historical buildings and all that—but I hardly understood a word she was saying.

The truth was I was kind of disappointed to hear that she liked her new school so much. It was the first time she'd gone to school in New York. I'd been hoping to see her more often. It was a boarding school in Brooklyn, and she and Thalia were both attending, close enough to Camp Half-Blood that Chiron could help if they got in any trouble. Because it was an all girls school, and I was going to MS-54 in Manhattan, I hardly ever saw them.

"Yeah, uh, cool," I said. "So you're staying there the rest of the year, huh?"

Her face got dark. "Well, maybe, if I don't—"

"Hey!" Thalia called to us. She was slow dancing with Grover, who was tripping all over himself, kicking Thalia in the shins, and looking like he wanted to die. At least his feet were fake. Unlike me, he had an excuse for being clumsy.

"Dance, you guys!" Thalia ordered. "You look stupid just standing there."

I looked nervously at Annabeth, then at the groups of girls who were roaming the gym.

"Well?" Annabeth said.

"Um, who should I ask?"

She punched me in the gut.

"Me, Seaweed Brain."

"Oh. Oh, right."

Just as I said that, Cora appeared to save the day. I almost sighed in relief. She hugged me with enthusiasm. She was a head shorter so she basically leaped onto me. I spotted the kid with the cards look at her curiously. I sent an overprotective glare in his direction. He looked away with his face as red as a tomato.

"Missed you, big bro." I gave a reply, which was muffled through her hair, in return. She took that as a 'I missed you too' and jumped off of me. I handed her the bag and she understood it was from mom. She smiled at me and I told her that mom said to give it to her.

She was sad that mom couldn't come but saw a box of blue cookies popping slightly out of the bag and she happily chewed on one slowly. It took all my willpower not to strangle her for teasing me. She turned to Annabeth and they talked enthusiastically while hugging. I swear those two love each other. Also, they both like books and when they talk about something like that I'm mostly excluded from the conversation, like I was now. Then Annabeth asked her something that interested me.

"What happened with that Nico boy?" I looked at Cora suspiciously. Her eyes widened at what we were implying. They were almost the same sea green as mine but hers were more stormy and ...I guess, interesting.

She looked at me in disbelief but when I didn't budge she just replied irritably, "I guess Grover told you who they are?"

When I nodded she continued, " Well, he asked me and Mackenzie to interact with the di Angelos. I asked Nico why he had a voodoo doll and he got worked up and angrily said that it was a figurine. That's it. Nothing else." I relaxed then tensed and asked her who Mackenzie was.

She was about to reply when someone, about Cora's height, jumped on my back and I found a knife pressed to my throat. As I choked, Annabeth and Cora chuckled. "...And that is Mackenzie." The knife was removed from my neck and I gasped for air. The girl, Mackenzie, appeared in front of me. She had shoulder length auburn brown hair and Moony **[A/N:Pun totally intended if you get it]** eyes. They were glowing a bit.

I got rid of those thoughts. She was just a mortal, right? Turns out it was just a butter knife which made it even more embarrassing.

She wagged the butter knife in my face and said, " Stop hogging my new bestie!"

I stared at her in disbelief, "I'm her _brother_."

She shrugged, "Eh." I gaped at her.

She pushed me and Annabeth and said, "Now you lovebirds, get on the dance floor!"

While Annabeth and I blushed, Cora and Mackenzie went of to meet Thalia and Grover and after that went towards the bathrooms which were close to the bleachers.

So we went onto the dance floor, and I looked over to see how Thalia and Grover were doing things. I put one hand on Annabeth's hip, and she clasped my other hand like she was about to judo throw me.

"I'm not going to bite," she told me. "Honestly, Percy. Don't you guys have dances at your school?" I didn't answer. The truth was we did. But I'd never, like, actually danced at one.

I was usually one of the guys playing basketball in the corner. We shuffled around for a few minutes. I tried to concentrate on little things, like the crepe-paper streamers and the punch bowl—anything but the fact that Annabeth was taller than me, and my hands were sweaty and probably gross, I kept stepping on her toes and I was pretty sure Cora was going to tease me later.

"What were you saying earlier?" I asked. "Are you having trouble at school or something?" She pursed her lips.

"It's not that. It's my dad."

"Uh-oh." I knew Annabeth had a rocky relationship with her father. "I thought it was getting better with you two. Is it your stepmom again?"

Annabeth sighed. "He decided to move. Just when I was getting settled in New York, he took this stupid new job researching for a World War I book. In San Francisco!" She said this the same way she might say Fields of Punishment or Hades's gym shorts.

"So he wants you to move out there with him?" I asked.

"To the other side of the country," she said miserably. "And half-bloods can't live in San Francisco. He should know that."

"What? Why not?" Annabeth rolled her eyes. Maybe she thought I was kidding.

"You know. It's right there!"

"Oh," I said. I had no idea what she was talking about, but I didn't want to sound stupid. "So… you'll go back to living at camp or what?"

"It's more serious than that, Percy. I… I probably should tell you something." Suddenly she froze. "They're gone."

"What?" I followed her gaze.

The bleachers. The two half-blood kids, Bianca and Nico, were no longer there. The door next to the bleachers was wide open. Dr. Thorn was nowhere in sight. Neither were Cora and Mackenzie.

"We have to get Thalia, Mackenzie, Cora and Grover!" Annabeth looked around frantically. "Oh, where'd they dance off to? Come on!" She ran through the crowd. I was about to follow when a mob of girls got in my way. I maneuvered around them to avoid getting the ribbon-and-lipstick treatment, and by the time I was free, Annabeth had disappeared.

I turned a full circle, looking for her or Thalia and Grover. Instead, I saw something that chilled my blood. About fifty feet away, lying on the gym floor, was a floppy green cap just like the one Bianca di Angelo had been wearing. Near it were a few scattered trading cards. Then I caught a glimpse of Dr. Thorn. He was hurrying out a door at the opposite end of the gym, steering the di Angelo kids by the scruffs of their necks, and surprisingly Cora, like kittens.

I still couldn't see Annabeth, but I knew she'd be heading the other way, looking for Thalia and Grover. I almost ran after her, and then I thought, Wait. I remembered what Thalia had said to me in the entry hall, looking at me all puzzled when I asked about the finger-snap trick: Hasn't Chiron shown you how to do that yet? I thought about the way Grover had turned to her, expecting her to save the day. Not that I resented Thalia. She was cool. It wasn't her fault her dad was Zeus and she got all the attention…

Still, I didn't need to run after her to solve every problem. Besides, there wasn't time. The di Angelos and Cora were in danger. I couldn't let him take my sister away from me. They might be long gone by the time I found my friends. I knew monsters. I could handle this myself. I took Riptide out of my pocket and ran after Dr. Thorn.

The door led into a dark hallway. I heard sounds of scuffling up ahead, then a painful grunt. I uncapped Riptide. The pen grew in my hands until I held a bronze Greek sword about three feet long with a leather-bound grip. The blade glowed faintly, casting a golden light on the rows of lockers.

I jogged down the corridor, but when I got to the other end, no one was there. I opened a door and found myself back in the main entry hall. I was completely turned around. I didn't see Dr. Thorn anywhere, but there on the opposite side of the room were the di Angelo kids.

They stood frozen in horror, staring right at me. I advanced slowly, lowering the tip of my sword. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." They didn't answer. Their eyes were full of fear. What was wrong with them? Where was Cora? Where was Dr. Thorn? Maybe he'd sensed the presence of Riptide and retreated. Monsters hated celestial bronze weapons.

"My name's Percy," I said, trying to keep my voice level. "I'm going to take you out of here, get you somewhere safe."

Bianca's eyes widened. Her fists clenched. Only too late did I realize what her look meant. She wasn't afraid of me. She was trying to warn me. I whirled around and something went WHIIISH and I heard Cora scream my name and call me an idiot. Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence. Pain exploded in my shoulder. A force like a huge hand yanked me backward and slammed me to the wall. I slashed with my sword but there was nothing to hit. A cold laugh echoed through the hall.

"Yes, Perseus Jackson" Dr. Thorn said. His accent mangled the J in my last name.

"I know who you are." I tried to free my shoulder. My coat and shirt were pinned to the wall by some kind of spike—a black dagger-like projectile about a foot long. It had grazed the skin of my shoulder as it passed through my clothes, and the cut burned. I'd felt something like this before. Poison. I forced myself to concentrate. I would not pass out. A dark silhouette now moved toward us. Dr. Thorn stepped into the dim light.

He still looked human, but his face was ghoulish. He had perfect white teeth and his brown/blue eyes reflected the light of my sword.

"Thank you for coming out of the gym," he said. "I hate middle school dances." I tried to swing my sword again, but he was just out of reach. WHIIIISH! A second projectile shot from somewhere behind Dr. Thorn and I heard Cora yelp something again. He didn't appear to move. It was as if someone invisible were standing behind him, throwing knives. Next to me, Bianca yelped.

The second thorn impaled itself in the stone wall, half an inch from her face. "All four of you will come with me," Dr. Thorn said. "Quietly. Obediently. If you make a single noise, if you call out for help or try to fight, I will show you just how accurately I can throw." I saw someone being placed down by a ...cable?

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**A/N: For anyone confused why Grover didn't mention Mackenzie is because Thalia (she's awesome) interrupted him and also, he didn't know whether she would appreciate him telling the others. Any other questions you can ask in a review or PM me. Even if you spot a mistake, just inform me, I'll edit it. Remember, reviews make authors update faster!**

** ;-D [ Hint- ME] **


	3. Handcuffs and a Thorn in my Side

**Hello my minions! Sorry for the long wait. School started recently and I've been busy, busy, busy! Don't kill me? *Cue pitchforks being thrown at me* Gah! I spoke to soon...Also, as you know, I am not a grown man who wrote this series. This is a FAN fiction. Note that this is also NOT a self insert story. A few hobbies are one of the only things that I can relate to Cora with. Like reading, I guess. And ... maybe a few personality traits? Now for review replies!**

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**Review Replies:**

**LifeGaza: Hahaha. I pulled a real Rick, didn't I? But you know, the plot is pretty similar till now... Thanks!**

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**Chapter 3: Handcuffs and a Thorn in my Side**

As Percy and Annabeth turned to the dance floor, Mac and I made our way to Thalia and Grover. I think Mac spotted them, as she ran into the crowd. She better have found them because if not, I was going to really go nuts. I was already fuming and I was pretty sure if I was a cartoon, puffs of red smoke, or whatever it's called, would be coming out of my ears. As I got pushed around in the crowd, I thought, seriously? This was a 10 year old's nightmare.

I could literally smell people's breath. The girl who just passed me, her breath smelt like mint toothpaste and alcohol. I almost shuddered. I've had bad experience with alcoholics. If anyone asks me why I despised even the mention of alcohol, I'd reply with a vindictive and slightly ominous 'You don't want to know.'

That would shut most people's traps but if it didn't I had other solutions too... Soon, I just stopped struggling and let the crowd take me wherever. So, that is how I found myself next to the Di Angelo siblings.

The siblings soon stopped arguing when they saw I had stopped right next to them. Bianca looked at me questionably but warmly while Nico blinked in astonishment and stared at me as if I was one of the goddesses from his card game. Little did he know, he may actually be a goddess' son. Really, I wasn't that amazing to look at. My cheeks flushed slightly, as I looked away from him.

Bianca must have elbowed his gut because I heard him let out a sharp cry and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Bianca retract her arm. I actually elbow Percy all the time when he does something stupid. Which is most of the time. I turned my head back towards them when Bianca started speaking.

"I'm really sorry. Nico didn't mean to sound nasty when he said that. Did you, Nico? " I switched my gaze from Bianca's to Nico. He looked pretty uncomfortable as he broke eye contact and nodded. I sighed and spoke, " It's okay, really. I'm sure you didn't mean to sound malignant or pernicious." He gave me a look of complete incomprehension while Bianca looked slightly startled.

"Are you British?" she asked. I looked at her with slight amusement and noticed that Nico's eyes widened comically. I chuckled, albeit with slight hesitance which melted into amusement. I didn't have a very distinguishable accent; I sounded more American. I'm pretty it must have sounded like I was laughing at him because Nico looked defensively at me. I stopped laughing immediately because nobody should feel like they were being laughed at.

It wasn't a nice feeling at all. Now he looked at me with bewilderment and, to my surprise, slight concern. My seriousness soon left as I understood he wasn't really offended. I shook my head slightly and said, "As far as I know, no. My mother is American and my father is...," I trailed off. For the first time since our second encounter, Nico spoke.

"What? Your father is what?" I was surprised that he had a slightly prominent Italian accent. I've always liked people with accents. Italian also sounded pretty soothing to me, I noted with shock, even though I've only heard Chiron's records moaning horribly in the language. I guess I must have heard someone speaking in the language somewhere before, maybe in a store?

"He's Greek. " Nico now looked like he had gulped down five cups of espresso. Trust me, I've seen Grover, so I know how many cups of coffee is too many. He jumped around shrieking with joy while Bianca just looked embarrassed for her brother. I know how she feels but I'm pretty proud of Percy. Then I asked a question which I soon regretted.

"And your parents?" Nico stopped jumping around and looked at his shoes with a mournful expression. Bianca looked at her brother with sadness and put a hand on his shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. I felt sadness for them. Not pity. I understood how they felt and where they were coming from. Percy and I thought mum had died, though for a while, but still. I hated being pitied. And I doubt others liked it. He looked up at me with exasperation. I almost felt offended until he spoke.

"I don't know! ... Every time I try to remember, I just_ can't_." That puzzled me. So, even he couldn't remember? Every time I tried to remember my past before I was 3 years old, I couldn't. It was all fuzzy. All I could make out of my fuzzy surroundings was sound. A loud, barking laugh and a familiar feminine voice scolding someone. It definitely wasn't Poseidon's laugh or mum's voice... As I was obliviously lost in my thoughts, a rough hand grabbed me by the collar. I yelped and turned to face Dr. Thorn.

I should have known it was him. Grover said it too. I cursed in Greek, hoping and not hoping that Percy, Annabeth or Grover were here to hear what I said. Percy and Annabeth would have lectured me (Gods, both of them were so similar sometimes. And oblivious to their undying love for each other). Grover would have gasped and scolded me a little while making goat noises. Thalia would have actually been proud. That's what I like about her. She didn't mind some mild swearing. Both ways, I was pretty much screwed.

Nico and Bianca gasped; at my swearing or Dr. Thorn's ugly face, I didn't know. All I know was I hated being suspended in air. I hated feeling helpless. So, I struggled to take out my sword all the while punching him on the jaw. He screeched and almost dropped me but unfortunately he didn't. He chuckled (more like choked) and said, "Feisty, are we?"

I growled. "You're damn right I am, Thorn. I know what you are." Bianca and Nico gasped as I said damn. That wasn't exactly the most horrifying thing to ever be said, was it?

_Hahaha, Dam, If there was one, I'd be able to kick his butt, _the Percy-ish part of my ADHD brain thought. Shut it, brain. That doesn't even make sense! Great, now I was talking to my brain. Thorn looked at me with doubt and boredom. He then picked up Nico and Bianca; Bianca's collar in the other hand and Nico's in the same hand that was holding mine.

I growled in frustration. Now, I couldn't struggle as much because I might hurt Nico. While walking towards the exit, he turned us to face him and my head bumped slightly against Nico's. He and I groaned; Boy, this guy had a hard noggin. Thorn cocked a pencil stroke of an eyebrow.

"Oh. Then what am I, _Corinne_?" I grit my teeth. I did not appreciate hearing my long, weird name; especially from him. Nico perked up; " So that's your name?" I ignored him and glared icy daggers at Thorn's face. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Percy looking at Nico's scattered cards. Thorn smiled smugly, which made him look like a duck.

I spat out, "áschi̱mos!" I didn't even get time to say burned as he threw Nico and Bianca to the other side of the hall. They grunted in pain. He dropped me down and I fell on my butt; I was used to being thrown down, maybe _too_ much. Maybe I shouldn't have called him that. I loved taunting monsters that I shouldn't even_ fight_. Suddenly a tail with spikes wrapped around me. It hurt but not all that much; Thorn hadn't allowed the poison to seep ... Yet. I'd been getting scratches since I was 5 years old. So not much of a big deal. Then Percy entered. Bianca and Nico had already stood up and were now looking behind him in fear. At Dr. Thorn. But, of course, Percy is way too oblivious.

I was tempted to shout but I was kinda afraid of the top part of Thorn's tail. It was covered in bigger poisonous spikes. Did I mention they were about a foot long? When Percy opened his mouth and tried to calm them down, I mentally hit my head against a wall. Percy, you moron. They're afraid of this spike throwing psychopath, not you! Also, I'd appreciate to be helped down because heights aren't exactly my forte. Bianca clenched her fists and her eyes widened.

Thorn jerked his tail back and forwards. And, with that tail, I too was jerked to and fro. _So_ not my forte. Stress on the so. I had to scream something so I screamed, "Percy, you IDIOT!" What a wonderful sister I was. My brother was in pain and all I did was shout insults at him. You can't blame me, though. That's all I could do, being pushed around by a violent lunatic. Literally. How Thorn threw spikes while clutching someone with the same appendage, I didn't know and didn't want to know.

The tail moved forward and pushed my brother, yanking him backwards. He slammed into a wall. I winced; that's gotta hurt. Percy slashed Riptide uselessly. Thorn laughed (choked) coldly and spoke. I'll sum their conversation up for you.

Thorn: Yes, Percy Zackson (Don't judge me, that's how he sounded).

Percy: I know who you are (That's just what I said and look where it got me).

Thorn: Thank you for coming out of the gym. I hate middle school dances.

Percy swung his sword, but Dr. Thorn was out of reach. His tail jerked to and fro. WHIIISH! Bianca let out a cry of alarm as the second projectile embedded in the wall, half an inch from her face. I yelped out a very stupid phrase. It would be a vain attempt, but I spoke nonetheless.

"Put your victims down before you use your tail!" Surprisingly, it worked.

"All four of you will come with me. Quietly. Obediently. If you make a single noise, if you call for help or try to fight, I will show you just how accurately I can throw." Welp. I guess attacking him without backup was thrown out of the window but I wasn't going to. Percy couldn't help all that much and my sword couldn't do everything. Maybe it could, but after seeing Percy hurtling into battle like that, I didn't want to attempt it. He placed me down and I sighed in relief. Land. Sweet, sweet land.

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I didn't know what kind of a monster this wanker was, but he was fast. I looked at Percy. He looked deep in thought. Wow, the poison must _really_ have done something to him. Then his eyes found mine. I tilted my head slightly. Realization dawned on him. He tapped his sword lightly; Couldn't let Doctor What's- His- Face know. Oh. I gave him a thumbs up. Thorn looked at me suspiciously. I gave him a wide, sarcastic smile and then inspected my thumb as if I was a Doctor. Ha. Not.

As Percy telepathically whined to Grover, I mulled over useless things. Why was Doctor Thorn called a Doctor? I mean monsters didn't have degrees right? If they did, I might just drop kick any university graduate I see where it hurts; whatever that meant... I had asked Percy what people mean't by 'Kick him where it hurts most' meant but he was useless. He'd just blush and shove me towards Annabeth. And Annabeth just told me that it was to defend myself against male cretin. Needless to say, Percy took offence.

I know, a kid who knows what cretin means? Hanging out with a daughter of Athena has it's perks. And the 'kick him where it hurts most'? That was all Percy when I asked him what to do when I had no weapons to protect myself. So I got the best of both worlds, I guess. I knew big words and a bit of slang. Or more... I looked over at the Di Angelo duo. Their expressions would have been hilarious if we weren't being dragged around by a monster who just happened to have studied at a university.

I must have looked too amused to be held hostage. Nico was gaping at me; positively horrified. Bianca was just looking at me with wide eyes. I shook my head slightly and tried to take off the cuffs that were holding my hands together and sighed irritably. Why this monster had a pair of police handcuffs, I didn't want to know.

"What are you doing, Jackson?" I looked at Thorn.

"Are you talking about me or my dim witted brother?" Percy opened his closed eyes and glared at me: _I am _not _an idiot. _I rolled my eyes. _Oh, _sure.

Thorn groaned in frustration and growled,

"Both of you."

"These cuffs are too tight," I whined rather convincingly. Which wasn't that hard, Considering it was literally it was snowing, I was wearing a hoodie that was rather tattered and torn, thanks to his no good, fat, spiky tail.

"My shoulder hurts. It burns," Percy moaned miserably. Mustn't be too hard, his shoulder looked horrible! I cringed internally and looked at Percy in worry. I hoped it was going to get better soon. The poison was causing a lot more pain than I expected. Percy was wincing every step.

Thorn grumbled, "Bah! My poison causes pain. It will not kill you. Walk!" Thanking the gods that it would't kill Percy, I walked. I realized, maybe Thorn's lower tail spikes did have poison. The cuts were hurting more than usual. Eh. Thorn led us out of the building that looked like it was built for Darth Vader or Hades...

Thorn inarched us into the woods. We took a snowy path dimly lit by old-fashioned lamp lights. The wind was blowing through my ripped clothes and I was freezing. The cool, frigid, metal handcuffs added to the cold. My teeth chattered slightly. Wait, my teeth? I shook my head to get rid of the sensation and to stop the teeth chattering. Luckily and unluckily, only my teeth stopped chattering.

"There is a clearing ahead," Thorn said. "We will summon your ride."

"What ride?" Bianca demanded. "Where are you taking us?"

"Silence, you insufferable girl!"

Just as I was about to say, _Which insufferable girl?, _when Nico spoke.

"Don't talk to my sister that way," Nico said. His voice quavered, but I was impressed that he had the guts to say anything at all. Dr. Thorn made a growling sound that definitely wasn't human. It made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck, but I forced myself to keep walking and pretend I was being a good little captive. And I hated it.

I struggled more with cuffs.

"Girl! What are you _doing_? Titan! " Thorn screeched. The cuffs got tighter and I let out a strangled noise. Percy turned his head sharply towards me and Bianca and Nico stopped their whispered conversation. I gave them a _No worries _look but I was pretty sure my eye was twitching. I tried my best to give a thumbs up. Percy just shook his head worriedly and the Di Angelo siblings glanced at each other, looking even more hassled.

I then looked up at Thorn with disbelief.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm trying to escape." Thorn snorted.

"I see you take after your insufferable mother." Percy's head snapped up and I shared a look with him.

"Our mother is _not_ insufferable." Thorn just looked amused.

"What do you mean '_Our_'?" I was confused. Was he toying with me?

Thorn's eyes widened and he laughed in cold amusement. I just looked at him stupidly.

"You mean you don't _know_?" Thorn said with obvious amusement and surprise.

"_What_ don't I know?" I snarled.

Thorn chortled inhumanly. "Oh this just precious. S-She DOES'NT KNOW!" Percy just kept blankly staring at him. I huffed in frustration. Of course he wouldn't tell me. Monsters loved toying with a demigod's mind. Nico and Bianca just looked bamboozled. Thorn calmed down.

"Halt," Thorn said. The woods had opened up. We'd reached a cliff overlooking the sea. At least, I sensed the sea was down there, hundreds of feet below. I could hear the waves churning and I could smell the cold salty froth. I felt at peace. But all I could see was mist and darkness. Dr. Thorn pushed us toward the edge. Percy stumbled and Bianca caught him. I wasn't all that lucky.

I fell onto Nico. He squealed in alarm and I let out a yelp. Percy looked down at us and after thanking Bianca, pulled me off Nico. In the darkness, I couldn't see his expression. Boy, he really blended in with the dark. Percy looked at me in annoyance. I looked at him with puzzlement. What did I do? Then Bianca pulled Percy and I, without getting noticed, towards her. Thank you Bianca, for saving me from even more confusion.

"What is he?" she whispered. "How do we fight him?" I looked at Percy. He hesitated.

"I...I'm working on it."

"I'm scared." Nico murmured. He had come out of the shadowy area and now, I could see him. He was looking down at the little statue I had mistaken for a voodoo doll and was fiddling with it. Now that I thought about it, I couldn't believe why I thought it was a voodoo doll. It was a little, metal soldier of some kind. But I could still see that his cheeks were slightly pink. I hoped mine weren't tomato red.

"Stop talking!" Dr. Thorn said. "Face me!" We turned. Thorn's eyes were glittering hungrily.

He pulled something from under his coat. At first I thought it was a switchblade, but it was only a phone. He pressed the side button and said, "The package—it is ready to deliver."

There was a garbled reply, and I realized Thorn was talking on a cell phone. This seemed way too modern and creepy...a monster using a mobile phone? Brr... creepy. Percy and I glanced behind ourselves, wondering how far the drop was.

Dr. Thorn laughed. "By all means, Son of Poseidon," he looked at me with an amused smirk,"...and the Daughter of the Brightest Star. Jump! There is the sea. Save yourselves." I shared a look with Percy as our jaws dropped. Daughter of the brightest star? What in the world?

" B... Brightest what?"

Thorn cackled, " You don't even... Oh right, he... Poor, poor Corinne. Doesn't even know who she is!" I tried not to lose control. I was failing. I heard glass exploding. Well, at least I didn't summon an army of crabs or something. Dr. Thorn snarled another 'Titan!' and the cuffs tightened further. I was pretty sure my blood circulation was being cut off. My wrists were turning red. I mean, the part around the cuffs. I hissed in pain.

No one noticed. Good. As Percy and Bianca muttered something to each other, someone or something tapped my shoulder lightly. I turned sharply, ready to kick them in their face with my combat boots, when I realized it was just Nico. He looked at me with really big, sincere eyes and then gently (as gently as a hyperactive 10 year old kid could) pressed something on my wrists.

I let out a small sigh in relief at the feeling of snow relieving my red, numb and burning wrists. I mumbled a thanks and then stared at the cuffs. Why did they have to be so tight? Slowly, they started to loosen. Huh? I stared at them more and they began to feel like marshmallows. I started paying attention to my surroundings again.

"-if possible. Otherwise you would already be dead."

"Who wants us?" Bianca demanded. "Because if you think you'll get a ransom, you're wrong. We don't have any family. Nico and I…" Her voice broke a little. "We've got no one but each other." I suddenly had an urge to hug her. Maybe if I wasn't cuffed like a criminal, I would have.

"Aww," Dr. Thorn said. "Do not worry, little brats. You will be meeting my employer soon enough. Then you will have a brand-new family." Did he mean-

"Luke," Percy said. "You work for Luke." Dr. Thorn's mouth twisted with distaste when Percy said the name of our former friend who'd tried to kill Percy and I several times. Percy? Mostly. Me? Not so much.

"You have no idea what is happening, Perseus Jackson. I will let the General enlighten you. You are going to do him a great service tonight. He is looking forward to meeting you."

"The General?" Percy said it with a French accent and I almost giggled. But I _never_ giggle. And neither do I plan to. So I snickered. Percy glared at me for a moment.

"I mean... The General?" Thorn looked toward the horizon.

"Ah, here we are. Your transportation." Horrible change of subject, you fraud of a Doctor. A real doctor would be... Will Solace! Seriously, that dude sure knows his medicine. I fell off a tree due to acrophobia (Thank you for the extra fear of heights, Zeus) and broke my arm once. Will had seen me in the infirmary and brought a canteen of nectar, gauze, bandages and voila! Though it did take time to fully heal, it took just 2 days.

I turned and saw a light in the distance, a searchlight over the sea. Then I heard the chopping of helicopter blades getting louder and closer.

"Where are you taking us?" Nico said.

"You should be honored, my boy. You will have the opportunity to join a great army! Just like that silly game you play with cards and dolls."

"They're not dolls! They're figurines! And you can take your great army and—" Go, Nico, Go! I knew you weren't stupid enough to listen to a random stranger who kidnapped you! But really, that's all you got out of that? No "What? They're REAL?". Just "They're not dolls! They're figurines!"

"Now, now," Dr. Thorn warned. "You will change your mind about joining us, my boy. And if you do not, well… there are other uses for half bloods. We have many monstrous mouths to feed. The Great Stirring is underway." The Great What?

"The Great what?" Percy, my big bro. You stole the words right out of my mouth. Figuratively speaking.

"The stirring of monsters." Dr. Thorn smiled evilly. "The worst of them, the most powerful, are now waking. Monsters that have not been seen in thousands of years. They will cause death and destruction the likes of which mortals have never known. And soon we shall have the most important monster of all—the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus!" Oh, wow. This just gets better and better...

"Okay," Bianca whispered to me. "He's completely nuts." I almost nodded in confirmation. But that would be an insult to nuts all around the world. I voiced my opinion. Nico sniggered in what I hoped was agreement. Then Percy looked at me then to the sea. I tilted my head slightly in understanding.

"We have to jump off the cliff," Percy told her quietly.

"Into the sea," I chimed in. I'm pretty sure she was going to think we're crazy. Which we may be...

"Oh, super idea. You're completely nuts, too." I never got the chance to argue with her, because just then an invisible force slammed into me. Looking back on it, Annabeth's move was brilliant. Wearing her cap of invisibility, she plowed into the Di Angelos, Percy and I, knocking us to the ground.

For a split second, Dr. Thorn was taken by surprise, so his first volley of missiles zipped harmlessly over our heads. This gave Thalia and Grover a chance to advance from behind—Thalia wielding her magic shield, Aegis. If you've never seen Thalia run into battle, you have never been truly frightened. She uses a huge spear that expands from this collapsible Mace canister she carries in her pocket, but that's not the scary part.

Her shield is modeled after one her dad Zeus uses—also called Aegis—a gift from Athena. The shield has the head of the gorgon Medusa molded into the bronze, and even though it won't turn you to stone, it's so horrible, most people will panic and run at the sight of it. Now would be a good time to break the cuffs open...

I spread my arms hoping that they would still have magic marshmallow properties but, thanks to my rotten luck, they didn't. Instead, they tightened further. I let out a pained cry. It was hurting too much. I couldn't bottle up the scream that followed as Thorn yelled another 'Titan!'

I heard Annabeth's sharp intake of breath as she asked me about the cuffs. One look at Thorn and I'm pretty sure she understood. Someone tackled me from behind and shoved my hands in the snow.

"GAH!" Gods, that was real smart. What happened to my mocking, sardonic remarks? I turned to try and discern who my attacker was. All I got was a mouthful of auburn brown hair.

"Mackenzie, what are you doing?" I asked. She let out a sigh of mock disapproval.

"Tut- tut. Ridding you of your pain, of course. Titter titter." Okay, is it just me, or does she memorize lines from a play script? Because she said "I, a river and you, a maiden" or something like that before. And now, she was saying stuff like 'laugh, laugh' instead of laughing. While Thalia fought valiantly against the deceiving Doctor, I voiced my, currently, pointless opinion.

"Na... I just have an ability to annoy. Don't insult it." At least we had yet another thing in common apart from our strange names. Okay, so our names weren't that strange but after finding out why I was named Corinne, it was pretty weird. The sound of Grover's reed pipes brought us back to the situation at hand.

Within seconds,rope- thick weeds were wrapping around Dr. Thorn's legs, entangling him. Dr. Thorn roared and began to change. He grew larger until he was in his true form—his face still human, but his body that of a huge lion. His leathery, spiky tail whipped deadly thorns in all directions. I knew what he was...

"A manticore!" Annabeth said, now visible. Her magical New York Yankees cap had come off when she'd plowed into us.

"Who are you people?" Bianca demanded. "And what is that?"

"We're your worst-" I elbowed Mac before she could complete that statement. She let an 'OWWIE!' and I vaguely wondered if she had problems with speech.

"A manticore?" Nico gasped. "He's got three thousand attack power and plus five to saving throws!" I was now just about ready to use _my_ 'attack power' on him. Nico looked scared and I heard Mac let out an "AWESOME COMEBACK!" I must have thought out loud again. The manticore clawed Grover's magic weeds to shreds then turned toward us with a snarl. Oh- oh.

"Get down!" Annabeth pushed the Di Angelos flat into the snow. Percy turned his wristwatch into a bronze shield. I was pretty sure Mac and I were gonna die. I braced myself for the spikes and held my hands out. My eyes squeezed shut. I heard the roar of the ocean. I felt at home. When I didn't even feel a toothpick sized spike pierce my body, I opened my eyes.

"Woah..." Mac said. Nico, who had face planted while falling, tilted his head to watch, and gasped. I was feeling a little shocked too. I knew I could summon water but this? There was a huge shield of shimmering sea water, reflecting the moonlight. It looked slightly crystallized, probably due to the salt, and it had to be. How else would the spikes be bouncing off?

I heard a thwack and a yelp. I turned towards Grover who had landed next to Percy.

"Yield!" the monster roared.

"Never!" Thalia yelled from across the field. She charged the monster, and for a second, I thought she would run him through. But then there was a thunderous noise and a blaze of light from behind us. The helicopter appeared out of the mist, hovering just beyond the cliffs. It was a sleek black military-style gunship, with attachments on the sides that looked like laser-guided rockets.

The helicopter had to be manned by mortals, but what was it doing here? How could mortals be working with a monster? The searchlights blinded Thalia, and the manticore swatted her away with its tail. Her shield flew off into the snow. Her spear flew in the other direction.

"No!" I ran out to help her. I raised my shield over us, but I knew it wouldn't be enough. I could have summoned more water from the ocean but the poison in the little cuts were getting to me. To summon water is one thing; crystallizing it is a whole new level.

Dr. Thorn laughed. "Now do you see how hopeless it is? Yield, little heroes." We were trapped between a monster and a fully armed helicopter. We had no chance. Then I heard a clear, piercing sound: the call of a hunting horn blowing in the woods.

The manticore froze. For a moment, no one moved. There was only the swirl of snow and wind and the chopping of the helicopter blades.

"No," Dr. Thorn said. "It cannot be—" His sentence was cut short when something shot past me like a streak of moonlight. A glowing silver arrow sprouted from Dr. Thorn's shoulder. He staggered backward, wailing in agony.

"Curse you!" Thorn cried. He unleashed his spikes, dozens of them at once, into the woods where the arrow had come from, but just as fast, silvery arrows shot back in reply. It almost looked like the arrows had intercepted the thorns in midair and sliced them in two but my eyes must've been playing tricks on me.

No one, not even Apollo's kids at camp, could shoot with that much accuracy. The manticore pulled the arrow out of his shoulder with a howl of pain. His breathing was heavy. Percy tried to swipe at him with his sword, but Thorn wasn't as injured as he looked. He dodged Percy's attack and slammed his tail into Percy's shield, knocking him aside. Then the archers came from the woods.

They wore silvery ski parkas and jeans, and they were all armed with bows. They advanced on the manticore with determined expressions. The Hunters of Artemis. Campers that had stayed at Camp Half Blood longer had sometimes described them to me.

"The Hunters!" Annabeth cried.

Next to me, Thalia muttered, "Oh, wonderful." I didn't have a chance to ask what she meant.

One of the older archers stepped forward with her bow drawn. She was tall and graceful with coppery colored skin. Unlike the other girls, she had a silver circlet braided into the top of her long dark hair, so she looked like some kind of Persian princess.

"Permission to kill, my lady?"

I couldn't tell who she was talking to, because she kept her eyes on the manticore.

The monster wailed, "This is not fair! Direct interference! It is against the Ancient Laws."

"Not so," another girl said. This one was a little older than me, maybe twelve or thirteen. She had auburn hair gathered back in a ponytail and strange eyes, silvery yellow like the moon. Her face was so beautiful it made me catch my breath, but her expression was stern and dangerous. She looked familiar...

I looked between Mac and the goddess. They were staring at each other coldly. I felt bad for Mac.

"The hunting of all wild beasts is within my sphere. And you, foul creature, are a wild beast." I didn't know if she was talking about the Thorn in my side or Mac. I felt the need to defend my friend but then Artemis trained her eyes on Thorn.

Then she looked at the older girl with the circlet. "Zoe, permission granted."

The manticore growled. "If I cannot have these alive, I shall have them dead!" He lunged at Thalia and me, knowing we were weak and dazed.

"No!" Annabeth yelled and she charged at the monster.

"Get back, half-blood!" Zoe said. "Get out of the line of fire!"

But Annabeth leaped onto the monster's back and drove her knife into his mane. The manticore howled, turning in circles with his tail flailing as Annabeth hung on for dear life. Percy stumbled to my side.

"Fire!" Zoe ordered.

"No!" I screamed. But the Hunters let their arrows fly. The first caught the manticore in the neck. Another hit his chest.

The manticore staggered backward, wailing, "This is not the end, Huntress! You shall pay!" And before anyone could react, the monster, with Annabeth still on his back, leaped over the cliff and tumbled into the darkness. I let out a cry of alarm.

"Annabeth!" Percy yelled. He started to run after her and I wasn't that far behind. Though our enemies weren't done with us. There was a snap-snap-snap from the helicopter—the sound of gunfire. Most of the Hunters scattered as tiny holes appeared in the snow at their feet, but Artemis just looked up calmly at the helicopter.

"Mortals," she announced, "are not allowed to witness my hunt." She thrust out her hand, and the helicopter exploded into dust—no, not dust. The black metal dissolved into a flock of birds—ravens, which scattered into the night. Must have been easy for the Goddess of the Hunt. I felt angry that she was so calm about Annabeth being hurled off a cliff.

The Hunters advanced on us. The one called Zoe stopped short when she saw Thalia.

"You," she said with distaste.

"Zoe Nightshade." Thalia's voice trembled with anger. "Perfect timing, as usual."

Zoe scanned the rest of us. "Six half-bloods and a satyr, my lady." Percy looked confused and counted on his fingers. I ignored his ignorance and stupidity.

"Yes," Artemis said, "Some of Chiron's campers, I see."

"Annabeth!" I yelled.

"You have to let us save her!" Percy continued.

Artemis turned to us. "I'm sorry, Percy Jackson, but your friend is beyond help."

Percy tried to run towards the cliff but a couple of the girls held him down. I followed his example but Mac jumped on me. My wrists stung due to the sudden pressure. I rolled around in desperation but Mac didn't budge. Then I coughed up snow. I sneezed. The cuffs came off. The Di Angelos looked at us in bewilderment then at Percy who was foolishly arguing with the goddess.

Wrong timing, cuffs.

Mac rolled off of me and I threw the cuffs. My eyes stung a bit. Annabeth... Mac poked one of my wrists. I flinched away and looked at my wrists. They were red, swollen, bruised and hurt a lot. They were also slightly purple and...blue? I focused on Percy's struggling form and Zoe stepping forward, as if to smack him.

"No," Artemis ordered. "I sense no disrespect, Zoe. He is simply distraught. He does not understand."

She looked at Percy with eyes colder than the winter moon.

"I am Artemis," she said. "Goddess of the Hunt."

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**A/N: Hope that was good. I appreciate feedback and constructive criticism. Not in a rude manner, of course. You know, it's an outrage that my laptop doesn't accept Nico or Annabeth as words but apparently, bamboozled is alright! I've noticed that Cora's character is different from the first chapter... Which I think was pretty pathetic (-_-)...Also,**

** 'áschi̱mos' means ugly.**

** Please correct me if I'm wrong. I don't know Greek. So, Google Translate is my only source! I also hope that Cora doesn't turn out to be a Mary Sue...**

**So... Read On!**


	4. Stupid Choices with a Side of Bro-Drama

**Sup minions? *readers grab weapons* No, wait! I have an explanation! Uh... Yesterday was my birthday. Happy? And luckily, it was a Sunday. So no school. Did you have a good weekend? Not to make you jealous or anything, I don't have school today. Is anyone else, who is reading this stupid Authors Note, reading the Red Pyramid? I'm dodging between it and Divergent. It's confusing but fun. And, as I said in the last chapter's A/N, I only share a few hobbies with Cora. And... maybe a few personality traits? Now for review replies.**

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**Review Replies:**

**LifeGaza: Edited it. I hate to break it to you but threatening me will not-**

** a) scare me b) make me update faster**

** On the contrary, it provided me a source of entertainment. Though I would appreciate it if you didn't do it again.**

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**Chapter 4: Stupid Choices with a Side of Bro-Drama**

You do _not _say something really intelligent to a goddess. That's exactly what Percy did.

"Um… okay."

But even that was nothing compared to Grover.

He gasped, then knelt hastily in the snow and started yammering, "Thank you, Lady Artemis! You're so… you're so… Wow!"

"Get up, goat boy!" Thalia snapped. "We have other things to worry about. Annabeth is gone!" I clenched my fists. I should have done something...

"Whoa," Bianca Di Angelo said. "Hold up. Time out." Everybody looked at her. She pointed her finger at all of us in turn, like she was trying to connect the dots.

"Who… who are you people?"

Artemis's expression softened."It might be a better question, my dear girl, to ask who are you! Who are your parents?" I felt the need to justify my new friend, yet again. Here her mother was worried about another demigod, but she wasn't in the least way concerned about Mac? I pulled Mac closer to me and tried to give an encouraging smile but my wrists were burning.

Bianca glanced nervously at her brother, who was still staring in awe at Artemis. It reminded me of...

"Our parents are dead," Bianca said. "We're orphans. There's a bank trust that pays for our school, but…" She faltered. I guess she could tell from our faces that we didn't believe her. That was only because they had to have a godly parent. They had to.

"What?" she demanded. "I'm telling the truth."

"You are a half-blood," Zoe Nightshade said. Her accent was hard to place. It sounded old-fashioned, like she was reading from one of those ancient books Chiron kept with himself. Maybe as a reminder of one of his favorite students. "One of thy parents was mortal. The other was an Olympian."

"An Olympian… athlete?" I tried imagining Mr. D as an athlete. And I hid a smirk. It was almost enough to lift my spirits. Keyword: almost.

"No," Zoe said. "One of the gods."

"Cool!" said Nico. Not all of them...

"No!" Bianca's voice quavered. "This is not cool!"

Nico danced around like he needed to use the restroom. "Does Zeus really have lightning bolts that do six hundred damage? Does he get extra movement points for—" I almost laughed.

"Nico, shut up!" Bianca put her hands to her face. "This is not your stupid Mythomagic game, okay? There are no gods!"

As anxious as I felt about Annabeth—all I wanted to do was search for her—I couldn't help feeling sorry for them. I remembered what it was like for me when I first learned I was a demigod. Thalia must've been feeling something similar, because the anger in her eyes subsided a little bit.

"Bianca, I know it's hard to believe. But the gods are still around. Trust me. They're immortal. And whenever they have kids with regular humans, kids like us, well… Our lives are dangerous."

"Dangerous," Bianca said, "like the girl who fell."

Thalia turned away. My eyes stung more than they already did. Even Artemis looked pained. She should. Annabeth might be... no, is my closest friend at Camp, apart from Percy and Evangaline. She is a fantastic, smart, reliable and trustworthy girl. Seeing her jump on a manticore, just so we wouldn't get jacked up... That just made her even more brave. I miss her already.

"Do not despair for Annabeth," the goddess said. "She was a brave maiden. If she can be found, I shall find her."

"Then why won't you let us go look for her?" Percy asked.

"She is gone. Can't you sense it, Son of Poseidon? Some magic is at work. I do not know exactly how or why, but your friend has vanished." I still wanted to jump off the cliff and search for her, but I had a feeling that Artemis was right. Annabeth was gone. If she'd been down there in the sea, I thought, I'd be able to feel her presence.

"Oo!" Nico raised his hand. "What about Dr. Thorn? That was awesome how you shot him with arrows! Is he dead?"

"He was a manticore," Artemis said. "Hopefully he is destroyed for now, but monsters never truly die. They re-form over and over again, and they must be hunted whenever they reappear."

"Or they'll hunt us," Thalia said.

Bianca shivered. "That explains… Nico, you remember last summer, those guys who tried to attack us in the alley in DC?" I looked at her in interest. They must have a powerful aura to attract more than one monster. I looked at Nico. He looked at Bianca in excitement.

"And that bus driver," Nico said. "The one with the ram's horns. I told you that was real!"

"That's why Grover has been watching you," Percy said. "To keep you safe, if you turned out to be half-bloods."

"Grover?" Bianca stared at him. "You're a demigod?"

"Well, a satyr, actually." He kicked off his shoes and displayed his goat hooves. I thought Bianca was going to faint right there.

"Grover, put your shoes back on," Thalia said. "You're freaking her out."

"Hey, my hooves are clean!"

"Bianca," I said, "we came here to help you. You and Nico need training to survive. Dr. Thorn won't be the last monster you meet. You need to come to camp."

"Camp?" she asked.

"Camp Half-Blood," I said. "It's where half-bloods learn to survive and stuff. You can join us, stay there year-round if you like."

"Sweet, let's go!" said Nico.

"There is another option," Zoe said.

"No, there isn't!" Thalia said.

Thalia and Zoe glared at each other. I didn't know what they were talking about, but I could tell there was bad history between them. For some reason, they seriously hated each other.

"We've burdened these children enough," Artemis announced. "Zoe, we will rest here for a few hours. Raise the tents. Treat the wounded. Retrieve our guests' belongings from the school."

"Yes, my lady."

"And, Bianca, come with me. I would like to speak with you."

"What about me?" Nico asked.

Artemis considered the boy. "Perhaps you can show Grover how to play that card game you enjoy. I'm sure Grover would be happy to entertain you for a while… as a favor to me?"

Grover just about tripped over himself getting up. "You bet! Come on, Nico!" Nico and Grover walked off toward the woods, talking about hit points and armor ratings and a bunch of other geeky stuff. It was quite ... amusing to see Grover so infatuated with a goddess who looked like a preteen. Mac looked disgusted. I would be too if Grover was that fascinated with my mum.

Artemis led a confused-looking Bianca along the cliff. The Hunters began unpacking their knapsacks and making camp. Zoe gave Thalia one more evil look, then left to oversee things.

As soon as she was gone, Thalia stamped her foot in frustration. "The nerve of those Hunters! They think they're so… Argh!"

"I'm with you," Percy said. "I don't trust—"

I talked to Mac while they argued.

"Mac... I'm-"

"Sorry? Don't be. She hates me, I hate her-"

"Hate is such a strong word. Why not dislike? Or-"

"Bah! It doesn't matter. The feeling is..."

"Mutual?"

"Yeah."

I couldn't hear the sound of arguing, so I looked over at Percy. Mac huffed and walked towards the hunters, who were setting up camp. I should have gone with her but my brother needed me. When I walked over, Percy broke eye contact with Annabeth's baseball cap. He looked at me bitterly but I wasn't offended. He was just shocked and hurt.

"Percy... Please, don't blame-" He glared at me.

"Myself? Cora, don't you dare say that. It was my fault. Now Annabeth's gone! I don't know where to find her either. You aren't exactly helping." I looked at him in disbelief before glaring at the cap. My eyes were burning now. I looked up at Percy again.

"I'm sorry I'm not a human GPS!" Percy snorted.

"That means you can't help me." Was he implying that I could have? Maybe. Perhaps it was my fault. Though, that didn't mean he could blame me for everything. I just exhaled sharply. The guilt was eating me up. I could have helped Annabeth. I pushed away my pessimistic thoughts about screwing things up big time after sparing Percy one last glance.

I saw Mac and Thalia glaring at the Hunters. Well, they had something in common at least. I stood next to my brother while watching the Hunters set up camp. Mac skipped towards us. While a Hunter brought Percy his backpack, I was slightly relieved that the backpack mum packed me was still on my shoulder. Mac, who had appeared right next to me, muttered about stupid Hunters or something like that.

I awkwardly patted her shoulder and immediately regretted it. My wrists had brushed against her rough sweater. She hummed in appreciation. Until she caught sight of my wrist(s). Grover and Nico came back from their walk, and Grover helped Percy fix up his wounded arm.

"It's green!" Nico said with delight. I looked at a cut at my abdomen. It looked a sickly colour of green merging with red and a little gold. I'd noticed that when I had serious wounds, the blood was red with a slight gold tint. Not good.

"Hold still," Grover told Percy. "Here, eat some ambrosia while I clean that out." Percy's shoulder looked so much better than before. Mac glared at Grover and Nico's back. She shoved my wrists in the snow harshly. I shrieked for a second before narrowing my eyes at Mac, who was staring in satisfaction at the attention we'd received from the three boys.

Nico was excited; Percy and Grover... not so much. I stared blankly at Grover. He was fussing over me and Percy was screeching, "Why didn't you tell me!" until Mac slapped him. Needless to say, I wish I had a camera at that time. Mac asked for a pretty generous amount of nectar which she got.

She then proceeded to dump it on me.

Nico's eyes were practically popping out of their sockets.

I stared at Mac in bemusement but instantly felt rejuvenated. I hadn't gotten wet and neither had my clothes; perks of water powers, I guess. After Thorn, I didn't know whether Poseidon really was my father.

Nico rummaged through his own bag, which the Hunters had apparently packed for him, though how they'd snuck into Westover Hall unseen, I didn't know. Nico laid out a bunch of figurines in the snow—little battle replicas of Greek gods and heroes.

I recognized Zeus with a lightning bolt, Ares with a spear, Apollo with his sun chariot.

"Big collection," I said. Nico grinned. So when it came to his voodoo dolls, he wasn't all that shy.

"I've got almost all of them, plus their holographic cards! Well, except for a few really rare ones."

"You've been playing this game a long time?"

"Just this year. Before that…" He knit his eyebrows.

"What?" Percy asked.

"I forget. That's weird." I shared a glance with him. He looked unsettled, but it didn't last long.

"Hey, can I see that sword you were using?" Percy showed him Riptide, and explained how it turned from a pen into a sword just by uncapping it.

"Cool! Does it ever run out of ink?" I laughed.

"Um, well, I don't actually write with it."

"Are you really the son of Poseidon?"

"Well, yeah."

"Can you surf really well, then?" Percy looked at Grover, who was trying hard not to laugh. I was already howling with laughter.

"Jeez, Nico," Percy said. "I've never really tried." Then Nico looked at me. Oh no.

"Can you surf?" I honestly had tried. It felt awesome. I'd been practicing since then at least once a month.

"Um... Yes?" Percy's eyes looked bigger than a Tarsier's. I shivered. Creepy.

"Cool!"

He went on asking questions.

Did Percy fight a lot with Thalia, since she was a daughter of Zeus? Percy didn't answer that one.

If Annabeth's mother was Athena, the goddess of wisdom, then why didn't Annabeth know better than to fall off a cliff? Percy tried not to strangle Nico for asking that one. Mac pinched Nico after seeing my expression.

Was Annabeth Percy's girlfriend? I almost said yes until my brother slapped a hand on my mouth. He looked ready to feed the younger boy to the wolves that roamed quite close to us. Mac petted one.

Did Mac like wolves? To which I elbowed him after noticing Mac's change in demeanor. Then Nico turned to me.

Did I like dogs? Or seals? Weird question but I can't decide. I love them equally.

Could I talk to horses? Now that I think of it, yes, but not all that clearly. And some of them adored doughnuts. Percy smirked but I was still annoyed by him.

"Do you have a boyfried?" His eyes widened and he looked pretty ashamed. I flushed. Mac was wiggling her eyebrows at me. Grover gaped. Percy looked ready to murder.

"No...I'm just 10 years old. You do realize that?"

"She's too young! You can't ask my sister out, Di Angelo!"

"I wasn't!"

"Holy Pan!"

"Skittles!" We looked at Mac weirdly. She just shrugged.

"Unlike Artemis, I am completely random. Besides, I like skittles!" I could tell. And thanks for the subject change. Percy looked perplexed.

"Artemis?" I rolled my eyes and pointed at the goddess and Mac. His eyes widened with realization.

Zoe Nightshade came up to us.

"Percy Jackson. Corinne." She had dark brown eyes and a slightly upturned nose. With her silver circlet and her proud expression, she looked so much like royalty that I had to resist the urge to sit up straight and say "Yes, ma'am." She studied Percy distastefully, like he was a bag of dirty laundry she'd been sent to fetch.

"Come with me," she said. "Lady Artemis wishes to speak with thee." Zoe led us to the last tent, which looked no different from the others, and waved us inside. Bianca was seated next to Artemis. The inside of the tent was warm and comfortable. Silk rugs and pillows covered the floor. In the center, a golden brazier of fire seemed to burn without fuel or smoke.

Behind the goddess, on a polished oak display stand, was her huge silver bow, carved to resemble gazelle horns. The walls were hung with animal pelts: black bear, tiger, and several others I didn't recognize. I figured an animal rights activist would've had a heart attack looking at all those rare skins, but maybe since Artemis was the goddess of the hunt, she could replenish whatever she shot.

I thought she had another animal pelt lying next to her, and then I realized it was a live animal—a deer with glittering fur and silver horns, its head resting contentedly in Artemis's lap.

"Join us, Percy Jackson, Corinne" the goddess said. Percy and I sat across from her on the tent floor. The goddess studied us, which made me uncomfortable. She had such old eyes for a young girl.

"Are you surprised by my age?" she asked.

"Uh… a little."

"Yeah.. I guess."

"I could appear as a grown woman, or a blazing fire, or anything else I want, but this is what I prefer. This is the average age of my Hunters, and all young maidens for whom I am patron, before they go astray."

"Go astray?" I asked.

"Grow up. Become smitten with boys. Become silly, preoccupied, insecure. Forget themselves."

"Oh." Zoe sat down at Artemis's right. She glared at Percy as if all the stuff Artemis had just said was his fault, like he'd invented the idea of being a guy. I returned the glare. Even though I was mad at Percy, she didn't have a good reason to glare at him. Her eyes softened a bit.

"You must forgive my Hunters if they do not welcome you," Artemis said. "It is very rare that we would have boys in this camp. Boys are usually forbidden to have any contact with the Hunters. The last one to see this camp…"

She looked at Zoe. "Which one was it?"

"That boy in Colorado," Zoe said. "You turned him into a jackalope."

"Ah, yes." Artemis nodded, satisfied. "I enjoy making jackalopes. At any rate, Percy and Cora, as you prefer to be called, I've asked you here so that you might tell me more of the manticore. Bianca has reported some of the… mmm, disturbing things the monster said. But she may not have understood them. I'd like to hear them from you." And so Percy and I told her.

When we were done, Artemis put her hand thoughtfully on her silver bow. "I feared this was the answer."

Zoe sat forward. "The scent, my lady?"

"Yes."

"What scent?" I asked.

"Things are stirring that I have not hunted in millennia," Artemis murmured. "Prey so old I have nearly forgotten."

She stared at Percy intently. "We came here tonight sensing the manticore, but he was not the one I seek. Tell me again, Percy, exactly what Dr. Thorn said."

"Um, 'I hate middle school dances.'"

"No, no. After that."

"He said somebody called the General was going to explain things to me." Zoe's face paled. She turned to Artemis and started to say something, but Artemis raised her hand.

"Go on, Percy," the goddess said.

"Well, then Thorn was talking about the Great Stir Pot—"

"Stirring," Bianca corrected. I jumped a little. She had been so silent, I'd nearly forgotten that she was here.

"Yeah. And he said, 'Soon we shall have the most important monster of all—the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus.'" Percy said.

The goddess was so still she could've been a statue.

"Maybe he was lying?" I said.

Artemis shook her head. "No. He was not. I've been too slow to see the signs. I must hunt this monster."

Zoe looked like she was trying very hard not to be afraid, but she nodded. "We will leave right away, my lady."

"No, Zoe. I must do this alone."

"But, Artemis—"

"This task is too dangerous even for the Hunters. You know where I must start my search. You cannot go there with me." I felt sorrow for Mac. Her mother showed affection towards the Hunters but not Mackenzie? Though, I could see that deep down, Mac cared for her mother. Just a little bit.

"As… as you wish, my lady."

"I will find this creature," Artemis vowed. "And I shall bring it back to Olympus by winter solstice. It will be all the proof I need to convince the Council of the Gods of how much danger we are in."

"You know what the monster is?" I asked.

Artemis gripped her bow. "Let us pray I am wrong."

"Can goddesses pray?" Percy asked. I rolled my eyes but smiled. Percy, you'll never change.

A flicker of a smile played across Artemis's lips. "Before I go, Percy Jackson, I have a small task for you."

"Does it involve getting turned into a jackalope?" Percy said.

"Sheesh, Don't tempt her, bro!" I scolded.

"Sadly, no. I want you to escort the Hunters back to Camp Half-Blood. They can stay there in safety until I return."

"What?" Zoe blurted out. "But, Artemis, we hate that place. The last time we stayed there—"

"Yes, I know," Artemis said. "But I'm sure Dionysus will not hold a grudge just because of a little, ah, misunderstanding. It's your right to use Cabin Eight whenever you are in need. Besides, I hear they rebuilt the cabins you burned down." Zoe muttered something about foolish campers.

"And now there is one last decision to make." Artemis turned to Bianca. "Have you made up your mind, my girl?"

Bianca hesitated. "I'm still thinking about it."

"Wait," I said. "Thinking about what?"

"They… they've invited me to join the Hunt."

"What? But you can't! You have to come to Camp Half-Blood so Chiron can train you. It's the only way you can learn to survive."

"It is not the only way for a girl," Zoe said. She then looked at me, as if expecting me to join in too. I couldn't believe I was hearing this.

"Bianca, camp is cool! It's got a pegasus stable and a sword-fighting arena and… I mean, what do you get by joining the Hunters?" Percy said.

"To begin with," Zoe said, "immortality."

Percy stared at her, then at Artemis. "She's kidding, right?"

"Zoe rarely kids about anything," Artemis said. "My Hunters follow me on my adventures. They are my maidservants, my companions, my sisters-in-arms. Once they swear loyalty to me, they are indeed immortal… unless they fall in battle, which is unlikely. Or break their oath."

"What oath?" I said.

"To foreswear romantic love forever," Artemis said. "To never grow up, never get married. To be a maiden eternally."

"Like you?" The goddess nodded. What! But then how did she have Mackenzie? You have to marry someone to have a baby... right? So she couldn't be a maiden... I tried to imagine what she was saying. Being immortal. Hanging out with only middleschool girls forever. I couldn't get my mind around it. Wouldn't it be repetitive? Killing monsters, Breakfast, Upgrading weaponry, Feeding the wolves etc. Same old, same old.

"So you just go around the country recruiting half-bloods—" Percy said.

"Not just half-bloods," Zoe interrupted. "Lady Artemis does not discriminate by birth. All who honor the goddess may join. Half-bloods, nymphs, mortals—"

"Which are you, then?" Percy asked. Anger flashed in Zoe's eyes.

"That is not thy concern, boy. The point is Bianca may join if she wishes. It is her choice."

"Bianca, this is crazy," Percy said. "What about your brother? Nico can't be a Hunter."

"Certainly not," Artemis agreed. "He will go to camp. Unfortunately, that's the best boys can do."

"Hey!" Percy protested.

"You can see him from time to time," Artemis assured Bianca. "But you will be free of responsibility. He will have the camp counselors to take care of him. And you will have a new family. Us."

"A new family," Bianca repeated dreamily. "Free of responsibility."

"Bianca, you can't do this," I said. "It's nuts. Nico isn't just a responsibility! He's your brother, your real—"

She looked at Zoe. "Is it worth it?"

Zoe nodded.

"It is."

"What do I have to do?"

"Say this," Zoe told her, " 'I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis.' "

"I… I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis."

" 'I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the Hunt.' "

Bianca repeated the lines. "That's it?"

Zoe nodded. "If Lady Artemis accepts thy pledge, then it is binding."

"I accept it," Artemis said. The flames in the brazier brightened, casting a silver glow over the room. Bianca looked no different, but she took a deep breath and opened her eyes wide. "I feel… stronger."

"Welcome, sister," Zoe said.

"Remember your pledge," Artemis said. "It is now your life." I couldn't speak. I felt like a trespasser. And a complete failure. I couldn't believe I'd come all this way and suffered so much only to lose Bianca to the Hunters. Not only would Nico be disappointed, hurt and confused. So would Mac. Though she'd try to hide it.

"Do not despair, Percy Jackson and young maiden," Artemis said. "You will still get to show the di Angelos your camp. And if Nico so chooses, he can stay there."

"Great," Percy said, trying not to sound surly. "How are we supposed to get there?" Artemis closed her eyes.

"Dawn is approaching. Zoe, break camp. You must get to Long Island quickly and safely. I shall summon a ride from my brother." Zoe didn't look real happy about this idea, but she nodded and told Bianca to follow her.

As she was leaving, Bianca paused in front of me. "I'm sorry, Cora. And Percy. But I want this. I really, really do." Then she was gone, and I was left alone with the twelve-year-old goddess and a brother who I was immensely irritated with, currently.

"So," Percy said glumly. "We're going to get a ride from your brother, huh?"

Artemis's silver eyes gleamed. "Yes, boy. You see, Bianca Di Angelo and Corinne is not the only one with an annoying brother. It's time for you to meet my irresponsible twin, Apollo."

"... I take offence."

"Well... It_ is_ true, bro."

As we left the tent, I hesitated a bit. Luckily and unluckily, Artemis noticed.

"Is something bothering you, child?"

"Actually, yes... Why didn't you say my last name?"

"Because, you must find out for yourself." I squinted in confusion.

"But... It's Jackson. Right?"

"That is for me to know and for you to find out, young maiden. You need to know who you are." With a last, small 'I-know-something-you-don't' smile, she walked out.

I tried to make sense of what she said.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Typical immortals and their queer, riddling answers.

* * *

**A/N: AND CUT! Thanks for reading this and being patient enough to wait for this chapter. For being such good minions, I'm already working on the next chapter. Also, a review would be a nice birthday present...**


	5. Of Sun Gods and Hidden Armour

**A/N: Hello minions! Hope you're having a great time! I sure am. Tomorrow's the last day of school and then... SUMMER TIME! Which means I get to have cold stuff, wear shorts and flip flops. Things I already do but I might get to swim! Honestly, I probably completely suck at it but I love it anyways. And wow, am I excited for all your reviews! **

**I noticed that nobody noticed that I mistook last chapter for Chapter 5... Of course, now I've edited it!**

**I've decided ask you questions on stuff about the previous chapter. It seems appealing b****ut I'm not even sure you guys even read the Author's Notes...**

** Question for the previous chapter: How was Nico's daring question? *wink***

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**Review Replies:**

**Guest: Truthfully, I'm not sure which scene you're talking about but I'd like to remind you that Bianca doesn't pass away before the quest. I've read all the books and I honestly didn't think BoO's ending was not as epic as it could have been... If you haven't read it I don't wanna ruin it for you! Also, thank you for the best wishes for this story and me! **

**Shreejujubee: I like your name, it made my day. Thanks but what do you mean about your life ending as an example? I'm sorry I didn't completely catch that AKA I will resurrect you and kill you for being as foolish as to think that I won't care if my reviewer tried to end their life! I know you hate them cliffhangers but I can't help myself.**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Of Sun Gods and Hidden Armour**

Artemis assured us that dawn was coming, but you could've fooled me. It was colder and darker and snowier than ever. I was shivering. Stupid, ripped up hoodie. Up on the hill, Westover Hall's windows were completely lightless. I wondered if the teachers had even noticed the Di Angelos, Dr. Fraud and I were missing yet. I didn't want to be around when they did. I'd be in deep trouble. The Hunters broke camp as quickly as they'd set it up. I stood shivering in the snow (unlike the Hunters, who didn't seem to feel at all uncomfortable), and Artemis stared into the east like she was expecting something.

Bianca sat off to one side, talking with Nico. I could tell from his gloomy face that she was explaining her decision to join the Hunt. I couldn't help thinking how selfish it was of her, abandoning her brother like that. I couldn't imagine Percy doing that to me... Was I a burden to him? Thalia, Mac and Grover came up and huddled around Percy and I, anxious to hear what had happened in our audience with the goddess. When we told them, Grover blanched.

"The last time the Hunters visited camp, it didn't go well."

"How'd they even show up here?" Percy wondered. "I mean, they just appeared out of nowhere."

"And Bianca joined them," Thalia said, disgusted. Mac let out a sound of agreement. "It's all Zoe's fault. That stuck-up, no good—"

"Who can blame her?" Grover said. "Eternity with Artemis?" He heaved a big sigh.

Mac gagged.

Thalia rolled her eyes. "You satyrs. You're all in love with Artemis. Don't you get that she'll never love you back?"

"But she's so… into nature," Grover swooned.

"You're nuts," said Thalia.

"Nuts and berries," Grover said dreamily. "Yeah." What? Nuts and... what? I shook my head. Only Grover.

Finally the sky began to lighten.

Artemis muttered, "About time. He's so-o-o lazy during the winter."

"You're, um, waiting for sunrise?" Percy asked.

"For my brother. Yes."

Scientifically, it shouldn't be possible for the sun to be Apollo driving a sizeable chariot. But to Hades with it. The world of the Greek Gods was completely unscientific. As Mr. D says, mortals try to find an explanation for things they shouldn't meddle with. Percy didn't seem to be so assured.

"It's not exactly as you think," Artemis said, like she knew Percy didn't believe the fact that her brother wasn't a big ball of fire , say, 95,000,000 miles away from Earth? Something like that.

"Oh, okay." Percy started to relax. "So, it's not like he'll be pulling up in a—"

There was a sudden burst of light on the horizon. A blast of pleasurable, much appreciated warmth.

"Don't look," Artemis advised. "Not until he parks."

Parks? Parks his chariot?

I averted my eyes, and saw that the other kids were doing the same. The light and warmth intensified until my hoodie felt like it was melting off of me. Not appreciated. What did my hoodie do? Why, O, why? Why am I being so dramatic? Eh.

Then suddenly the light died. As I proceeded to look, I saw Percy looking at the source of light with awe. It was the car Percy'd wanted in forever. The metal looked pretty hot, maybe that's why it was glowing.

The snow had melted around the Maeserati in a perfect circle, which explained why I was now standing on green grass and my combat boots were wet. Oh, this day just gets better and better.

* * *

Apollo got out, smiling. He looked about seventeen or eighteen with sandy blonde hair and outdoorsy looks. I might have pegged him for Luke's twin because he didn't have a scar like him but he looked very similar to him.

The Maserati driver wore jeans and loafers and a sleeveless T-shirt.

"Wow," Thalia muttered. "Apollo is hot."

"He's the sun god," Percy said.

"That's not what I meant."

"Little sister!" Apollo called. If his teeth were any whiter he could've blinded us without the sun car. "What's up? You never call. You never write. I was getting worried!"

Artemis sighed. "I'm fine, Apollo. And I am not your little sister."

"Hey, I was born first."

"We're twins! How many millennia do we have to argue—"

"So what's up?" he interrupted.

Then he spotted Mac.

"Oh my! Is that my niece? You've grown!" And with that he bent down to her height and hugged her. She was grinning from ear to ear.

"'Course it is!"

"I hope Samantha guided you safely?"

"Yeah! She's my BFF for life!"

"That's good to hear. She's coming over to camp next summer from London."

"YAY! Wait... How do you know?"

"God of prophecy, music and truth! Duh."

Then he looked back at Artemis.

"Got the girls with you, I see. You all need some tips on archery?"

Artemis grit her teeth. "I need a favor. I have some hunting to do, alone. I need you to take my companions to Camp Half-Blood."

"Sure, sis!" Then he raised his hands in a stop everything gesture. "I feel a haiku coming on."

The Hunters all groaned. Apparently they'd met Apollo before. He cleared his throat and held up one hand dramatically.

"Green grass breaks through snow. Artemis pleads for my help. I am so cool." He grinned at us, waiting for applause.

"That last line was only four syllables," Artemis said.

Apollo frowned.

"Was it?"

"Yes. What about I am so big-headed?" Good one.

"No, no, that's six syllables. Hmm." He started muttering to himself.

Zoe Nightshade turned to us.

"Lord Apollo has been going through this haiku phase ever since he visited Japan. 'Tis not as bad as the time he visited Limerick. If I'd had to hear one more poem that started with, There once was a goddess from Sparta—"

"I've got it!" Apollo announced. "I am so awesome. That's five syllables!"

He bowed, looking very pleased with himself. "And now, sis. Transportation for the Hunters, you say? Good timing. I was just about ready to roll."

"These demigods will also need a ride," Artemis said, pointing to us. "Some of Chiron's campers."

"No problem!" Apollo checked us out. "Let's see… Thalia, right? I've heard all about you."

Thalia blushed. "Hi, Lord Apollo."

"Zeus's girl, yes? Makes you my half sister. Used to be a tree, didn't you? Glad you're back. I hate it when pretty girls turn into trees. Man, I remember one time—"

"Brother," Artemis said. "You should get going."

"Oh, right." Then he looked at Percy, and his eyes narrowed.

"Percy Jackson?"

"Yeah. I mean… yes, sir." Apollo studied Percy which I found creepy. Then he looked at me.

"Cora... What do you go by?"

"Er... what?" He studied me carefully.

"Your last name..." He drawled the words and looked at me like I would blow up.

"Jackson?" He clucked his tongue in disdain and sympathy.

"Interesting. This one is going to have quite the future. Emotional trauma. Tangled, confusing love life. Aphrodite just loves meddling with quite a lot of people's lives."

"Huh? _Love life_?"

Artemis groaned.

"I know! Always confusing a young maiden." She looked at me expectantly.

Nuh- uh, Lady. I ain't joining no club after today. I was still worried about Annabeth.

"Well!" Apollo said at last. "We'd better load up, huh? Ride only goes one way—west. And if you miss it, you miss it."

I looked at the Maserati, which would seat two people max. There were about twenty of us.

"Cool car," Nico said.

"Thanks, kid," Apollo said.

"But how will we all fit?" Good question, Nico. I don't have an answer.

"Oh." Apollo seemed to notice the problem for the first time. "Well, yeah. I hate to change out of sports-car mode, but I suppose…"

He took out his car keys and beeped the security alarm button. Chirp, chirp. For a moment, the car glowed brightly again. When the glare died, the Maserati had been replaced by one of those Turtle Top shuttle buses like we used for school basketball games.

"Right," he said. "Everybody in."

Zoe ordered the Hunters to start loading.

She picked up her camping pack, and Apollo said, "Here, sweetheart. Let me get that."

Zoe recoiled. Her eyes flashed murderously.

"Brother," Artemis chided. "You do not help my Hunters. You do not look at, talk to, or flirt with my Hunters. And you do not call them sweetheart." I vaguely understood what flirting was. It was something like when you behave attracted to someone or something like that...

Apollo spread his hands. "Sorry. I forgot. Hey, sis, where are you off to, anyway?"

"Hunting," Artemis said. "It's none of your business."

"I'll find out. I see all. Know all." Artemis snorted. "Just drop them off, Apollo. And no messing around!"

"No, no! I never mess around."

Artemis rolled her eyes, then looked at us. "I will see you by winter solstice. Zoe, you are in charge of the Hunters. Do well. Do as I would do."

Zoe straightened. "Yes, my lady."

Artemis knelt and touched the ground as if looking for tracks. When she rose, she looked troubled.

"So much danger. The beast must be found." She sprinted toward the woods and melted into the snow and shadows. Ookay.

Apollo turned and grinned, jangling the car keys on his finger.

"So," he said. "Who wants to drive?"

* * *

The Hunters piled into the van. They all crammed into the back so they'd be as far away as possible from Apollo and the rest of those highly infectious males such as my bro, who I was still annoyed with, and a card-loving, energetic geek. Bianca sat with them, leaving her little brother to hang in the front with us, which seemed cold to me, but Nico didn't seem to mind.

"This is so cool!" Nico said, jumping up and down in the driver's seat. "Is this really the sun? I thought Helios and Selene were the sun and moon gods. How come sometimes it's them and sometimes it's you and Artemis?"

"Downsizing," Apollo said. "The Romans started it. They couldn't afford all those temple sacrifices, so they laid off Helios and Selene and folded their duties into our job descriptions. My sis got the moon. I got the sun. It was pretty annoying at first, but at least I got this cool car."

"But how does it work?" Nico asked. "I thought the sun was a big fiery ball of gas!"

True that.

Apollo chuckled and ruffled Nico's hair.

"That rumor probably got started because Artemis used to call me a big fiery ball of gas. Seriously, kid, it depends on whether you're talking astronomy or philosophy. You want to talk astronomy? Bah, what fun is that? You want to talk about how humans think about the sun? Ah, now that's more interesting. They've got a lot riding on the sun… er, so to speak. It keeps them warm, grows their crops, powers engines, makes everything look, well, sunnier. This chariot is built out of human dreams about the sun, kid. It's as old as Western Civilization. Every day, it drives across the sky from east to west, lighting up all those puny little mortal lives. The chariot is a manifestation of the sun's power, the way mortals perceive it. Make sense?"

Nico shook his head.

"No."

"Well then, just think of it as a really powerful, really dangerous solar car."

"Can I drive?"

"No. Too young."

"Oo! Oo!" Grover raised his hand.

"Mm, no," Apollo said. "Too furry."

He looked past Percy and focused on Thalia.

"Daughter of Zeus!" he said. "Lord of the sky. Perfect."

"Oh, no." Thalia shook her head. "No, thanks."

"C'mon," Apollo said. "How old are you?"

Thalia hesitated. "I don't know."

It was sad, but true. She'd been turned into a tree when she was twelve, but that had been seven years ago. So she should be nineteen, if you went by years. But she still felt like she was twelve, and if you looked at her, she seemed somewhere in between. The best Chiron could figure, she had kept aging while in tree form, but much more slowly. Apollo tapped his finger to his lips.

"You're fifteen, almost sixteen."

"How do you know that?"

"Hey, I'm the god of prophecy. I know stuff. You'll turn sixteen in about a week."

"That's my birthday! December twenty-second."

"Which means you're old enough now to drive with a learner's permit!"

Thalia shifted her feet nervously. "Uh—"

"I know what you're going to say," Apollo said. "You don't deserve an honor like driving the sun chariot." Mac started silently laughing. Apollo mock glared at her for a few moments but it shut her up anyway.

""That's not what I was going to say."

"Don't sweat it! Maine to Long Island is a really short trip, and don't worry about what happened to the last kid I trained. You're Zeus's daughter. He's not going to blast you out of the sky." Apollo laughed good-naturedly.

The rest of us didn't join him. Thalia tried to protest, but Apollo was absolutely not going to take "no" for an answer. He hit a button on the dashboard, and a sign popped up along the top of the windshield. I had to read it backward (which, for a dyslexic, really isn't that different than reading forward).

Yes, I too have dyslexia but I'd learn to bear with it more than Percy. I was pretty sure it said WARNING: STUDENT DRIVER.

"Take it away!" Apollo told Thalia. "You're gonna be a natural!"

I knew Percy was jealous. He couldn't wait to drive a car. It's been some sort of a dream for him.

"Speed equals heat," Apollo advised. "So start slowly, and make sure you've got good altitude before you really open her up."

Thalia gripped the wheel tighter, knuckles turning white. She looked a little sick.

"What's wrong?" Percy and I asked her in unison. We turned our heads to glare at each other.

"Fight! Fight! Fi...ght?" Nico chuckled nervously as we redirected our glares towards him.

"Nothing," she said shakily. "N-nothing is wrong." She pulled back on the wheel. It tilted, and the bus lurched upward so fast I fell back and crashed against something soft.

"Ouch!" Nico screeched. I turned to face him and our heads bumped. We yelped together. I laughed and he narrowed his eyes. I stopped and pouted.

"Sorry?" He rolled his eyes but his face was tinted pink only slightly. Damn Italian skin tone. What am I talking about...

"Slower!" Apollo said.

"Sorry!" Thalia said. "I've got it under control!" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Percy manage to stand up. Secretly, I hoped he was fine. Somehow, I managed to sit on a seat. I was unpleasantly surprised to see that everyone but me had seated. Except for Grover and Nico. I huffed in irritation and pulled a pale looking Grover on the seat across mine where Mac was.

"Sup Groovey?"

"... Groovey?"

I turned to see Nico still looking all confused and stupid with a really pale face. I pulled him onto the seat next to mine. Only to almost fall off.

"Why're you so warm!?" He shrugged and flushed.

"I don't know. Maybe because _you're_ freezing."

"Hey! It's not my fault Dr. Fraud," he snorted at that," ripped up my hoodie!" He took one glance at my ripped up hoodie and turned a red which really clashed with his now pale skin. Now who looks like a tomato.

"Well, how should I know the bottom half is ripped!" Wait, What!?

I looked at my clothes. Thank the gods, I was wearing my thickest shirt underneath... with armor over it.

"Wait a second... You wear armor underneath your clothes!" I blushed like a tomato.

"Underneath my hoodie! And do you really wanna talk about what I wear underneath my hoodie?" He got the hint and kept shut. Percy glanced at us suspiciously and Mac was laughing silently with Grover. I peeked over Nico's shoulder and stuck my tongue out at them. Nico turned to face me with renewed, geeky energy.

"Does Poseidon have a trident? Oh, I'm so dumb, of course he does! What does he really look like?"

"Er...a little like Percy and I? He has sea green-ish eyes and-"

"Oo, Is Demeter, like, obsessed with flowers? I think she is! Is Hades really cool like I think he is?"

"Sort of... Hades? No way." He gasped in disbelief.

"But he's the God of the Underworld!"

"Well, he captured my mum and tried to kill us!" His eyes almost popped out of his skull.

"He _really_ did that?"

Grover nodded frantically, "Yeah! Well, until he found out Percy didn't steal the Helm of Darkness-"

Nico shook in excitement and nearly knocked into me.

"Stop that!"

He smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry..." Percy glared at Nico, after finishing his intense and short conversation with Thalia, who flinched.

"What did I do?"

Before Percy could answer, he was yet again thrown into Grover and poor Mac was crushed. Nico literally fell on me. His eyes widened.

"Why are your eyes so green and blue and swirly... They look like the sea!"

"Well, yours are just, like, the perfect shade of soft, chocolate brown eyes too, hun!"

"... Sarcasm?"

"How did you ever know?" Percy grabbed his collar and pulled him off me.

I made the mistake of looking out the window again. We were at airplane height now— so high the sky was starting to look black. Nico rested his head on my shoulder to look out. I was turning pale now. So were Nico and Percy. Grover didn't mind and Mac was having the time of her life.

"Ah…" Apollo said, and I got the feeling he was forcing himself to sound calm. "A little lower, sweetheart. Cape Cod is freezing over."

I couldn't see Thalia because I was seated, but I was sure something was wrong. The bus pitched down and Nico screamed. In my ear. Now we were heading straight toward the Atlantic Ocean at a thousand miles an hour, the New England coastline off to our right. And it was getting hot in the bus. Apollo had been thrown somewhere in the back of the bus, but he started climbing up the rows of seats.

"Take the wheel!" Grover begged him.

"No worries," Apollo said. He looked plenty worried. "She just has to learn to— WHOA!" I saw what he was seeing. Down below us was a little snow-covered New England town. At least, it used to be snow-covered. As I watched, the snow melted off the trees and the roofs and the lawns. The white steeple on a church turned brown and started to smolder. Little plumes of smoke, like birthday candles, were popping up all over the town. Trees and rooftops were catching fire.

"Pull up!" Percy yelled. There was a wild light in Thalia's eyes. She yanked back on the wheel, and I held on to the handle this time. Someone took my right hand and squeezed. I looked at the hand, expecting maybe Percy's, only to find one that was only slightly bigger than mine. Nico had his eyes squeezed shut but he was still pretty happy to be falling from the sky. As we zoomed up, I could see through the back window that the fires in the town were being snuffed out by the sudden blast of cold.

"There!" Apollo pointed. "Long Island, dead ahead. Let's slow down, dear. 'Dead' is only an expression." Thalia was thundering toward the coastline of northern Long Island. There was Camp Half-Blood: the valley, the woods, the beach. I could see the dining pavilion and cabins and the amphitheater.

"I'm under control," Thalia muttered. "I'm under control." We were only a few hundred yards away now.

"Brake," Apollo said.

"I can do this."

"BRAKE!"

Thalia slammed her foot on the brake, and the sun bus pitched forward at a forty-five degree angle, slamming into the Camp Half-Blood canoe lake with a huge FLOOOOOOSH! Steam billowed up, sending several frightened naiads scrambling out of the water with halfwoven wicker baskets. The bus bobbed to the surface, along with a couple of capsized, half-melted canoes. Sad. I was hoping for a ride.

"Well," said Apollo with a brave smile. "You were right, my dear. You had everything under control! Let's go see if we boiled anyone important, shall we?"

He just snapped his fingers and he was out of the bus, on the banks of the canoe lake.

Thalia opened the door and water flooded the entrance steps.

"How do we get out?" Thalia yelled.

Apollo scratched his head, "I hadn't thought of that..."

For an Olympian God, he sure was stupid. Percy shook his head and, to my surprise, looked at me and smiled.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?"

I nodded.

"Yup."

Then I remembered.

"Nico, could you let go of my hand?"

* * *

"Are you completely sure about this, Percy?"

"For the last time, Grover, all we're gonna do is create a bubble of air around us to carry three people at a time!"

Rewind.

So, Percy and I had this brilliant plan of creating air bubbles around people because we had tried that last summer and it worked perfectly. The tricky part was that we had never tried it with other people who weren't children of Poseidon or whoever's daughter I was...

Percy and I got to work, jumping into the water and created air bubbles for the Hunters. The Hunters were pretty hesitant to touch Percy so I helped them off the bus. Bianca went with Zoe and Phoebe, etc. but I noticed that Bianca was a bit too apprehensive. Zoe looked completely at ease which surprised me. Perhaps she was the daughter of a sea god or goddess? Not Poseidon but another one? Thankfully, they'd all reached safely.

I rose above the surface of water to look at the remaining occupants of the bus. Mac looked pretty nervous and excited, Grover looked alright but Thalia and Nico looked scared.

Grover sighed in relief.

"Thank the gods! By now, I thought you would have passed out from exhaustion! Bah! The number of Hunters you took!"

I grinned.

"I'm fine, G- man. Just a little tired. Thanks for asking though."

"Are you sure about this? I mean I am the daughter of Zeus..." Thalia said.

I rolled my eyes but smiled reassuringly.

"You'll be fine Thalia. I'm just going to tell Percy that only you guys are left."

With that, I jumped into the water.

The fish were all greeting me with a _Hey, it's the Princess _or Just like her mother. I'd never noticed it, but they wouldn't say that I was like my father... Maybe I was the daughter of a goddess? Probably. I swam towards the head with a mop of black hair that I called my brother. I tapped his shoulder.

"Hey, Persissy..."

He scoffed, then smiled evilly.

"Hey Corny..."

"That doesn't even make sense!"

"That's kinda the point.."

"Humph! Anyway, there's only Mac, Grover, Thalia and Nico left."

"Alright. I'll take G- man and Thalia because your friend hates me..."

"Mac? You're afraid of a girl who attacked you with a butter knife?"

"Yeah, well... Butter knives are knives! But I don't trust you with Nico..."

"You do realize we're just ten..."

"Yeah. I trust you. Remember when you punched a girl in the face when she tried to hit on me?"

"Yup. Do you remember when you kicked a guy in my grade when I was 7 and he wanted to share a box of crayons with me?"

"Hey! You can't blame me! You don't usually talk to guys... and it was recess!"

"It was your recess... not ours. But it was good that we were in the same school."

"Yeah..."

"..."

"I think we should go get them in the air bubbles."

And with that we swam upwards.

* * *

When we swam towards the bus we were greeted with the site of Mac threatening Nico.

"If you hog my bestie, I swear I will tear you to pieces! With a butter knife."

I smirked at Percy who stuck his tongue out. We had to stare up at them because we were resting our heads on the entrance steps of the bus or whatever they were called. They didn't know we were there yet so this was sort of eavesdropping.

"She's my friend too!"

This time it was Percy's turn to smirk.

I raised an eyebrow. Friend? Okay. I'd never had a boy who was my age for a friend... I'd decided it was time to burst their bubble. No pun intended. I literally jumped onto the steps, the water boosting me up. I was still wet and decided to remain like that till we reached the shore.

"You done arguing?" Nico jumped around as Percy too hopped on. He decided to dry off which was a bad idea because he looked like he would faint from exhaustion. Me? I was still up and about.

"So cool!"

"Thanks," Percy said. I smiled my usual close lipped smile i.e. I smiled warmly.

"You guys ready?"

* * *

Mackenzie and Nico argued the whole bloody time. Needless to say, it was irritating.

"Are you dumb? You can't be friends with a girl!"

That did it.

"Mackenzie I-don't-know-your-last-name! He can be friends with the Minotaur for all I care! Let me concentrate on letting you breathe or you can just choke on water if you want."

And that shut them up.

I closed my eyes and tried to make an air bubble around us but fish were swarming me with greetings. The naiads had leaped back in as soon as they found it to be safe. What were they doing? Trying to dress me up and braid my hair. They even swarmed Percy but he had already reached land. I hadn't. Thanks to Mac and Nico. So I sacrificed myself and made a bubble around the two, praying they wouldn't kill each other.

"Oh Princess, blue is really your color! Can we help you to get a dress!" One naiad said while trying to braid my hair as I tried to escape. I paled.

"Um... No thanks!" I tried to swim off but they had an iron grip.

"Only if you let us braid your hair!"

Finally, after struggling for what seemed like eternity, I was free to go. I used the water to propel me forwards and get me out of there as fast as possible.

After surfacing, I wished I hadn't.

My hair wasn't braided. It wasn't put up. Half of it was down and it looked like a mess. It was knotted and braided at he same time! Which means I looked like the Aphrodite cabin had kidnapped me and had only managed to get my hair done in a weird fashion thingy.

Percy snickered after I turned around, looking away from my reflection in the water. The hunters looked at me with pity and Thalia and Grover were already on the ground, laughing. Apollo was nodding in approval, giving me a thumbs up. I gagged. What the Hades? I dried myself by willing the water too fall on Thalia and Grover, who glared at me.

I looked at Percy and pouted. Mac and Nico stopped arguing and turned to look at me. Mac just tutted in disapproval. Nico was gawking at me.

"How did you transform your hair into that mess? It looks like a rat's nest that was run over by elephants!" he said.

I shrugged.

"You could say that. Percy, pwetty pwease?"

Percy shrugged and walked up to me and removed the unreachable braids from my hair. I sighed in content. Finally. My scalp was starting to hurt. He bent down and muttered an apology to me.

"Sorry... for you know..."

I nodded and we sibling fisted. After that tender moment, I willed my hair to dry.

"How do you do that?"

"I really don't know how to put it, Nico ... er... I become water proof in a way?"

"... Awesome!"

"By the way, Mac, who is Samantha?"

"Er... long story?"

"CORA!"

In the distance, I saw a girl with blonde, chest length hair running towards us at full speed. Her hair was flipping around in the wind. I recognized who it was instantly.

"EVA!"

* * *

**A/N: Aaaaand CUT! So new character plus a cliffhanger? Yay! So many line breaks... Did you like reading the Nico moments? If yes, please read and review. Until next time!**


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